Why gametes have haploid number of chromosomes

Cells which are diploid have two sets of chromosomes - for most organisms this means the cells have one set of chromosomes from their mother and one set from their father. The gametes in animals are sperm male and eggs female. The gametes in flowering plants are pollen male and ovules female. The offspring produced in sexual reproduction are genetically different to each other and to their parents. This process results in variation within a population because it involves the mixing of genetic information.

This short video explains the role of meiotic cell division. Sexual reproduction uses the process of meiosis , which creates gametes. The process of meiosis happens in the male and female reproductive organs. As a cell divides to form gametes:. Gametes have half the total number of chromosomes that the organism needs to develop and are referred to as haploid. For example, humans need 46 chromosomes to develop, therefore a human gamete has 23 chromosomes.

Fertilisation is the fusion of the nucleus of a male gamete with the nucleus of a female gamete. Other organisms, like male ants, live as haploid organisms throughout their life cycle. Further Exploration Concept Links for further exploration cell gamete diploid meiosis chromosome principle of independent assortment haplotype recombination Principles of Inheritance.

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