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3.1 use the terms ‘diploid’ and ‘haploid’ to describe somatic and gametic cells
use the terms ‘diploid’ and ‘haploid’ to describe somatic and gametic cells
- Normal body cells are called somatic cells. In eukaryotic cells, the nucleus of somatic cells will contain the diploid number of chromosomes (2N).
- Gametic cells or gametes such as sperm and ova contain half the diploid number of chromosomes, or haploid number (N).
- In humans, the diploid number is 46 (found in such cells as muscles, bone, skin etc.) and the haploid number is 23 (found in gametic cells such as sperm and ova). On fertilisation, two haploid cells (sperm + ovum) unite to form a zygote with the diploid number of 46 chromosomes.