What is a gamete?

What is a gamete?

• A. A sex cell such as an egg or sperm.
• B. A body cell that contains a full set of chromosomes.
• C. A type of protein responsible for cell signaling.
• D. A stage of cell growth before division.

Answer: (A)

A gamete is a reproductive sex cell, such as an egg or sperm. In sexual reproduction, gametes carry a single set of chromosomes (they are haploid) and are produced by meiosis, which halves the chromosome number from the diploid state found in most body cells. When fertilization occurs, a sperm and an egg fuse to form a zygote with a full (diploid) chromosome set. This distinguishes gametes from body (somatic) cells, which contain two copies of each chromosome, and from proteins or growth stages that are not cells.

A gamete is a reproductive sex cell, such as an egg or sperm. In sexual reproduction, gametes carry a single set of chromosomes (they are haploid) and are produced by meiosis, which halves the chromosome number from the diploid state found in most body cells. When fertilization occurs, a sperm and an egg fuse to form a zygote with a full (diploid) chromosome set. This distinguishes gametes from body (somatic) cells, which contain two copies of each chromosome, and from proteins or growth stages that are not cells.