Question

Explain what you understand by the term gametes?

Answer 1

Hint: Organisms reproduce principally by two modes: Sexual reproduction, and, Asexual reproduction. The organisms that reproduce through asexual modes reproduce through budding, fragmentation, and other such modes and produce ‘soma clones’, i.e., exact copies of the individual.
The organisms that reproduce through sexual mode produce offspring that are the union of two parents. They produce certain cells that unite to form the mature individual.

Complete answer:
In sexually reproducing organisms, the diploid organisms (2n) through meiosis cell division produce haploid cells called gametes or ‘sex cells’. A gamete is produced from a particular type of cell known as Germ cells. Each germ cell, through meiotic division, gives rise to 4 gametes. These gametes contain only one set of chromosomes from either parent and during mating, the gametes unite to form a zygote which grows up into a full offspring of the species. The gametes thus have a ploidy level of n.
The gametes are therefore sex cells having half the number of chromosomes (ploidy level: n) that are released during mating and the two gametes from the parents (ova in case of female, and sperms in case of male) unite to form a zygote (2n) which ultimately develops into a mature individual of the same species.

Note:
It should be noted in mind that asexually producing organisms do not produce gametes, they produce spores instead. Spores are like seeds that give rise to new organisms. And a majority of these asexually reproducing organisms reproduce through vegetative processes like regeneration, fragmentation, budding, etc.