Meiosis is a key event in the life of all sexually reproductive organisms. As a consequence of recombination and segregation of maternal and paternal sets of chromosomes, it represents the largest natural source of genetic variability. The field of meiosis research is expanding rapidly, with significant progress resulting from the use of suitable model systems as well as from the identification and characterization of proteins, many of them meiosis-specific, which play a key role during meiotic events. This volume provides the reader with a series of authoritative review articles summarizing some of the most recent advances in the field of meiosis research. Most of the more commonly used model systems are investigated taking the comparative aspects into account. Written by leading experts in the field, the book is a valuable reference for researchers and graduate students in genetics, cell and developmental biology, reproductive biology and andrology.