Difference between diploid and haploid

Biology
2023-05-23T05:34:39+00:00

Difference between diploid and haploid

Introduction

Genetics is a biological branch that studies the inheritance and variability of living beings. In it, it talks about the genetic material, DNA and RNA, chromosomes, which are the carriers of genes, among other things.

diploid

The term diploid refers to the fact that these organisms have two complete sets of chromosomes, that is, 2n chromosomes. This means that each diploid cell has two copies of each gene, one from each parent.

  • Diploid organisms are humans, animals, plants and fungi.
  • Homologous chromosomes, one of paternal and one maternal origin, pair during meiosis, allowing greater genetic variety in haploid cells.

Haploid

On the other hand, the term haploid refers to organisms that only have one complete set of chromosomes, that is, n chromosomes. This means that each haploid cell has only one copy of each gene, coming from a single parent.

  • Haploid organisms are bacteria, viruses, and the sperm and eggs of animals. Also some algae, fungi and mosses.
  • In meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair and separate, forming haploid daughter cells with a single copy of the genes.

Differences

The main difference between diploid and haploid organisms is that the former have two complete sets of chromosomes while the latter only have one.

In diploid organisms:

  • Fertilization occurs, that is, the combination of two haploid cells to form a diploid cell.
  • Meiosis takes place in the sex cells, producing haploid cells to form gametes.

In haploid organisms:

  • There is no fertilization since there is only one haploid cell.
  • Meiosis occurs, forming haploid daughter cells, without the need for a second division.

Conclusion

In summary, the main difference between diploid and haploid is the number of chromosomes they have. Diploid organisms have two complete sets while haploid organisms only have one set. These differences have implications for the reproduction and genetic variability of different organisms.

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