Question

What is the number of chromosomes in somatic cells and gametes in humans?

Answer 1

A somatic cell is any cell that makes up an organism, except for a reproductive cell. In humans, these cells contain 46 chromosomes (or 23 chromosome pairs) and hence are diploid in nature. (1marks)

Gametes are reproductive cells (sex cells) that unite during sexual reproduction to form a new cell called a zygote. Male gametes are sperm and female gametes are ova (or eggs). Gametes are produced through a type of cell division called meiosis and hence are haploid in nature. They carry only one copy of each chromosome and therefore contain only 23 chromosomes. (1 marks)