HOMOLOGOUS CHROMOSOMES
Homologous chromosomes (homologues) are pared chromosomes, autosomes, one from each parent, in diploid cells. Before a usual mitotic division each homologue of a pair doubles, and two copies having being formed remain connected together in the centromeric side. These copies are called sister chromatids.
Homologous chromosomes conjugate among one another during meiosis, that is, converge and couple. Their similar loci are arranged in one and the same linear sequence. Corresponding loci of homologous chromosomes can bear either similar or different variants (alleles) of the same genes.