What are cells called that have the full set of chromosomes? Are they haploid, diploid, somatic, or semi-somatic?

1 Answer
Mar 23, 2018

Cells with the full set of chromosomes are #"diploid somatic cells."#

Explanation:

Somatic cells are the cells that make up the vast majority of the body.

Somatic cells each have the complete set of chromosomes.

In humans, that means that the somatic cells have #46# chromosomes each #-# #23# pairs, one set of #23# from each parent, for a total of #46.#

In order to maintain the correct number of chromosomes when the egg cell and sperm cell combine, the chromosome number in the gametes is cut in half during #"meiosis"# (the "reduction" division.)

Somatic cells, with the full set of chromosomes are #diploid,"# with the #2n# chromosome number.

Gametes, with one half the full number of chromosomes, are #"haploid,"# with the #1n# chromosome number.

During fertilization, the somatic cells' #2n  "diploid"# chromosome number is restored when both of the #1n  "haploid"# gametes fuse with each other.

Here's an image of this process:
The #"diploid"# #(2n)# cells are #"somatic"# cells. and the #"haploid"  (1n)# cells are the gametes.

enter image source here
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