| A | B |
|---|
| somatic cell | cell that makes up all of 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 controls 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 |
