Question

How many chromosomes does a haploid human germ cell have?

Answer 1

Hint: The germ cells are reproductive cells in the human body. In mature human biology germ cells are produced in a specific process for both males and females. In the male, germ cells are sperm and they are formed by spermatogenesis. For females, the germ cells are produced by oogenesis, and they are called egg cells.

Complete answer:
Humans have chromosomes arranged in pairs in somatic cells (any cell except egg cells and sperm cells). This type of arrangement is called diploid and a human is a diploid organism. The gametes of diploid contain only one half of the paired chromosome i.e. they contain unpaired chromosomes. This type of arrangement is called haploid and gametes are haploid cells.

Somatic cells contain a total number of 46 chromosomes, which are arranged in 23 pairs. In these 23 pairs, each pair inherits one chromosome from each parent i.e. one from father and one from mother. The chromosomes are more divided into 22 homologous pairs and one pair of sex chromosomes. The sex chromosome is what decides the sex of the zygote. If it inherits both X chromosomes from parents i.e. XX, then it will be a female child and if the pair becomes XY, then it will be a male child.

Upon fusion of both gametes, spermatozoon, and ovum, during the process of conception, the zygote is formed. A human zygote contains 46chromosomes or 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Hence, the human germ cell contains 23 chromosomes.

Note: As the zygote inherits half a chromosome from each parent, it also inherits the qualities of both the parents. This is a very important step towards evolution and the sole purpose of dividing the chromosomes in a haploid manner. But remember, only the dominant trait will be expressed in the zygote, not the recessive trait.