Diploid and haploid are terms used to describe the number of sets of chromosomes in a cell. Diploid cells contain two sets of chromosomes, while haploid cells contain only one set of chromosomes. In humans, most cells are diploid, meaning they have two copies of each chromosome. However, the egg and sperm cells are haploid, meaning they have only one set of chromosomes. Haploid cells are formed through a particular kind of cell division called meiosis, where the genetic material of the parent cell is divided up twice, resulting in these haploid cells with only one set of chromosomes. When a sperm fertilizes an egg, the genetic material is combined in the resulting zygote cell, which is diploid. The differences between haploid and diploid cells are summarized below:

Haploid Cells

• Contain only one set of chromosomes (n)
• Are formed by the process of meiosis
• Examples include gametes (male or female germ cells)

Diploid Cells

• Contain two sets of chromosomes (2n)
• Undergo mitosis for reproduction
• Examples include somatic cells such as blood cells, skin cells, and muscle cells

Understanding the difference between haploid and diploid cells is important because the union of gametes during fertilization creates a diploid cell called a zygote with two sets of chromosomes.