What are gametes?
Eggs and sperm
Fertilized eggs
Embryos
Zygotes
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: Eggs and sperm
Gametes are specialized reproductive cells involved in sexual reproduction. In animals and humans, the male gamete is called a sperm, and the female gamete is called an egg or ovum. These cells are haploid, meaning they each contain only one set of chromosomes—half the number found in the body’s other cells. This is essential because it allows the correct chromosome number to be restored during fertilization.
When a sperm cell and an egg cell fuse during fertilization, they form a zygote, which is a single cell containing a full set of chromosomes—half from each parent. The zygote is diploid, meaning it has two sets of chromosomes, and it marks the beginning of a new organism’s development. From this single zygote, an embryo will eventually develop through cell division and differentiation.
Gametes are formed through a special type of cell division known as meiosis. This process ensures genetic diversity by randomly shuffling genes and reducing the chromosome number by half. This way, offspring inherit a unique combination of genetic material from both parents.
Fertilized eggs, embryos, and zygotes are products of gametes combining and developing, but they are not gametes themselves. Gametes serve the purpose of transmitting genetic information from one generation to the next and initiating the process of creating a new individual.
In summary, gametes are the reproductive cells—sperm in males and eggs in females—that carry genetic material and are essential for the process of sexual reproduction. Their primary function is to unite during fertilization to produce a zygote, which then develops into a new organism.