What are gametes?

Gametes are specialized reproductive cells that play a crucial role in sexual reproduction. They are haploid cells, meaning they carry only one set of chromosomes. In humans and many other organisms, gametes include sperm cells (male gametes) and egg cells (female gametes).

When these gametes fuse during fertilization, they create a zygote, which is a diploid cell that contains genetic material from both parents. This fusion not only initiates the development of a new organism but also restores the diploid state that is characteristic of somatic cells.

Choosing the option that identifies gametes as the cells that fuse together to produce the zygote accurately captures their essential function in reproduction. In contrast, other options refer to different types of cells or processes: mitosis relates to somatic cells, diploid cells are formed after fertilization, and somatic cells themselves do not participate in the process of forming a new organism through sexual reproduction.