Haploid and diploid are terms used to describe the number of sets of chromosomes in a cell. A haploid cell has only one set of chromosomes, while a diploid cell has two sets of chromosomes. In humans, most cells are diploid, meaning they have two copies of each chromosome. However, egg and sperm cells are haploid. Haploid cells are formed through a particular kind of cell division called meiosis, where the genetic material of the parent cell is divided up twice, resulting in these haploid cells with only one set of chromosomes. When a sperm fertilizes an egg, the genetic material is combined in the resulting zygote cell. In other words, a single set of chromosomes in two separate haploid cells come together as two sets of chromosomes in a single diploid cell. That zygote cell ultimately undergoes development into a new person. The differences between haploid and diploid cells are summarized below:
Haploid Cells
- Contain only one set of chromosomes (n)
- Formed by the process of meiosis
- Examples include gametes (male or female germ cells)
Diploid Cells
- Contain two sets of chromosomes (2n)
- Undergo mitosis
- Examples include somatic cells such as blood cells, skin cells, and muscle cells
It is important to note that higher organisms such as humans (and most other mammals) are diploid organisms.
