Question

Why is it important that an egg and sperm cell have only half the normal number of chromosomes?

Answer 1

Germ cells have only half the number of chromosomes as a diploid cell (one of each pair). The number of chromosomes is reduced from 46 (23 pairs) to 23 during the process of meiosis. In a human egg or sperm, there are 23 chromosomes, one of which is an X or Y.

Answer 2

Answer:

It's a reproductive cell. In meiosis, a cell must be haploid, or have half the number of chromosomes. In humans, regular cells have 46 chromosomes. But egg and sperm cells, female and male gametes have 23, because they combine to form a diploid cell with 46 chromosomes