A gamete is a specialized reproductive cell (sex cell) that carries half the usual number of chromosomes and can fuse with another gamete to form a new organism.

Quick Scoop

  • A gamete is a mature reproductive cell, such as sperm in males and egg (ovum) in females.
  • It is haploid , meaning it has only one set of chromosomes, which is half the number found in normal body cells.
  • When a male and a female gamete fuse during fertilization, they form a zygote , which has a full set of chromosomes and can develop into a new individual.

In simple terms, gametes are the cells that pass genetic information from parents to offspring and make sexual reproduction possible.