Meiosis I. The prophase lasts longer than in mitosis and differs from it in several ways. It can be subdivided into five stages: leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene, and diakinesis. From these five stages, the diplotene (also called dictyotene in oogenesis) is noteworthy because oogenesis pauses here. The homologous chromosomes were connected to each other during the preceding stages by the synaptonemal complex but this complex now gradually dissolves. Ultimately, the chromosomes are connected only at intersection points (Chiasmata). At these points, the chromatids break up and an exchange of fragments of maternal and paternal chromosomes (crossing over, recombination) takes place.
Cell division following the prophase occurs in a similar way to mitosis. It is subdivided into prometaphase I (end of the diakinesis), metaphase I, anaphase I, and telophase I. However, unlike in mitosis, both kinetochores of the sister chromatids are attached to the same spindle microtubules. The chromatids are not separated in the centromeres during anaphase. Instead, they are pulled together toward the corresponding pole. During cytokinesis, the daughter cells remain connected to each other through a cytoplasmic bridge until the end of meiosis II.