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Somatic cells, Chromosomes, Autosomes, Gametes explained

4,855 views · Published 24 October 2014 · 5:35 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: Nikolay's Genetics Lessons · 2014 · Education

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Somatic cells are the cells in the body other than sperm and egg cells (which are called germ cells). In humans, somatic cells are diploid, meaning they contain two sets of chromosomes, one inherited from each parent.

Chromosomes are thread-like structures located inside the nucleus of animal and plant cells. Each chromosome is made of protein and a single molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Passed from parents to offspring, DNA contains the specific instructions that make each type of living creature unique.

Autosomes control the inheritance of all an organism's characteristics except the sex-linked ones, which are controlled by the sex chromosomes.

Gametes are an organism's reproductive cells. They are also referred to as sex cells. Female gametes are called ova or egg cells, and male gametes are called sperm. Gametes are haploid cells, and each cell carries only one copy of each chromosome. These reproductive cells are produced through a type of cell division called meiosis. During meiosis, a diploid parent cell, which has two copies of each chromosome, undergoes one round of DNA replication followed by two separate cycles of nuclear division to produce four haploid cells. These cells develop into sperm or ova. The ova mature in the ovaries of females, and the sperm develop in the testes of males. Each sperm cell, or spermatozoon, is small and motile. The spermatozoon has a flagellum, which is a tail-shaped structure that allows the cell to propel and move. In contrast, each egg cell, or ovum, is relatively large and non-motile. During fertilization, a spermatozoon and ovum unite to form a new diploid organism.

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