somatic cell
cell that makes up all the body tissues and organs, except gametes.
gamete
sex cell; an egg or a sperm cell.
homologous chromosome
chromosomes that have the same length, appearance, and copies of genes, although the alleles may differ.
autosome
chromosome that contains genes for characteristics not directly related to the sex of the organism.
sex chromosome
chromosome that directly control the development of sexual characteristics.
sexual reproduction
process by which two gametes fuse and offspring that are a genetic mixture of both parents are produced.
fertilization
fusion of an egg and sperm cell.
diploid
cell that has two copies of each chromosome, one from an egg and one from a sperm.
haploid
cell that has only one copy of each chromosome.
meiosis
form of nuclear division that divides a diploid cell into haploid cells; important in forming gametes for sexual reproduction.