Question

How many chromosomes are there in a human egg cell?

Answer 1

Hint: Chromosome is a structure made up of a DNA molecule and proteins that are present in the nucleus of an organism and it contains genetic information.

Complete answer:
1.All the cells in the human body are diploid that means they contain two sets of chromosomes but the sex cells are haploid that means they have only one set of chromosomes.

2.In humans, the diploid set of chromosome contains 46 chromosomes, that means all cells of the body have 46 chromosomes but human egg cell that is a sex cell have only 23 chromosomes.

3.Human egg cell is the ova that forms the female reproductive cell. This egg cell is formed by meiotic divisions due to which they are reduced from diploid to haploid cells.

4.When fertilization occurs the embryo receives 23 chromosomes from paternal sex cells that are the sperms and 23 from maternal sex cells that are the ova which together forms 46 chromosomes and that is how a diploid embryo is formed from haploid sex cells.

5.Therefore, a human egg cell is a haploid cell and it contains 23 chromosomes.

Note: The chromosome number in one set (haploid) varies in different plants and animals. Examples: For rats, there are only 19 chromosomes in a haploid set of chromosomes and for Ophioglossum that is a type of fern, the haploid set contains 639 chromosomes and onion has only 8 chromosomes in a haploid set of chromosomes.