Somatic cells are any cells except the egg and sperm cells. They are not gamete cells. The somatic cells are diploid – comprising two sets of chromosomes, which are inherited one each from a parent. On the other hand, germ cells can produce and reproduce. These produce gametes in living entities through sexual reproduction. In most living entities, the germ cells come from the gut of the embryo and are then passed to the gonads.
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Germ Cells
- They give rise to gametes of an entity which sexually reproduces
- Germ cells in many animals originate in the primitive streak, migrating through the gut of an embryo to the developing gonads
- Germ cells are seen in gonads – testes in males and ovaries in females
- Many rounds of cell divisions take place in germ cells for the production of gametes, which is referred to as gametogenesis
- The sequence of cells which is produced from germ cells to gametes is referred to as germline
Somatic Cells
- Adult human bodies have more than 3 trillion somatic cells
- Somatic cells are diploid, produced by mitosis in asexual reproduction
- Two sets of homologous chromosomes seen in the nucleus
- Some species can comprise haploid or polyploid somatic cells
- Somatic cells are differentiated broadly into these 4 main types of tissues – connective tissue, epithelial tissue, nerve tissue and muscle tissue
Key Differences between Germ Cells and Somatic Cells
The table below depicts the differences between Germ cells and Somatic cells.
|
Germ Cells |
Somatic Cells |
|
Nature of cells |
|
|
Towards the end are Haploid in nature |
Diploid in nature |
|
Production of gametes |
|
|
Create reproductive cells or the gametes |
Not involved in the production of gametes |
|
Count/number |
|
|
Very few in number |
These include the majority of body cells |
|
Function |
|
|
Production of gametes, participate in reproduction |
The different types of cells, involved in multiple functions |
|
Type of cell division |
|
|
Meiosis |
Mitosis |
|
Produced by |
|
|
Sexual reproduction |
Asexual reproduction |
|
Mutations |
|
|
Passes through generations |
May not pass through generations |
|
Transfer of genetic information |
|
|
Can be transferred by these cells |
Cannot be transferred by these cells |
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