Carpenter, A.: "Chiasma Function," Cell, vol. 77, July 1, 1994, pages 959-62. A discussion of the chiasma and the role it plays in meiosis, crossing over, and mutation.

Kondrashov, A.S.: "The Asexual Ploidy Cycle and the Origin of Sex," Nature, vol. 370, July 23, 1994, pages 213–16. Why would asexual organisms have an alternation of haploid and diploid life stages? The author supplies some suggestions and speculates on the origin of sex.

Margulis, L. and D. Sagan: Origins of Sex, Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn., 1986. A controversial and highly original viewpoint on how sex first evolved.

Marx, J.: "Chromosomes Yield New Clue to Pairing in Meiosis," Science, vol. 273, July 5, 1996, pages 35–36. Matching heterochromatin sequences appear to play a crucial role in holding paired chromosomes together in a synapsis.

Maynard-Smith, J.: The Evolution of Sex, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1978. An important viewpoint on the origin of sex that outlines clearly the issues involved in the debate.

McKim, K., and S. Hawley: "Chromosomal Control of Meiotic Cell Division," Science, vol. 270, December 8, 1995, pages 1595–1600. Chromosomes play a crucial role in control of the meiotic cell cycle.

Murray, A.W.: The Cell Cycle: An Introduction, Oxford University Press, New York, 1993. An in-depth discussion of the events occurring in the life of a cell, including a detailed section on meiosis.

Pickett-Heaps, J., D. Tippit, and K. Porter: "Rethinking Mitosis," Cell, vol. 29, 1982, pages 729–44. An advanced but very rewarding assessment of the evidence concerning the evolution of mitosis and meiosis.

Thurman, E.: Human Chromosomes: Structure, Behavior and Effects, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1993. A review of the human chromosome, discussing meiosis as well as mitosis and other phenomena (such as chromosomal abnormalities) associated with human chromosomes.