Are gametes haploid or diploid?

Gametes are specialized cells involved in sexual reproduction that contain half the number of chromosomes found in somatic (body) cells. In humans and many other organisms, somatic cells are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes—one from each parent. During the process of meiosis, diploid cells undergo two rounds of division to produce gametes, which are haploid. This means that gametes contain only one set of chromosomes.

The haploid nature of gametes is essential because it ensures that when two gametes—one from each parent—fuse during fertilization, the resulting zygote restores the diploid state. This cycle maintains the species' chromosome number across generations. Opting for gametes to be haploid thus plays a crucial role in genetic diversity and the stability of the chromosome number in a species over time.