Discuss the terms chromosome, diploid and haploid. How are these terms related in cell division?

Question

Discuss the terms chromosome, diploid and haploid. How are these terms related in cell division?

Answer 1

Chromosomes are the packaged form of DNA.  They result from DNA winding around proteins (histones) and coiling up into compacted masses.

When a cell has only one set of all chromosomes, it is haploid.  In this condition a cell has one copy of every gene.  When a cell has two copies of genes, and therefore two sets of all chromosomes, it is diploid.

In humans (and most animals), are cells are primarily diploid, with one set of chromosomes from your mom, and one set from your dad.  During Mitosis, a diploid cell will make copies of all its chromosomes and divide them equally resulting in two identical diploid cells.  

However, for reproduction, haploid cells have to be produced.  In Meiosis, a diploid cell makes copies of its chromosomes, but does through two divisions, resulting in haploid cells with only one set of chromosomes.

Answer 2

23 chromosomes from both parents is the haploid number.

46 is diploid.

The cell must divide or else the number of chromosomes would double, and you'd come out with a mess. In Meiosis I and II different types of cellular division are spermatogenesis (male) and oogenesis (female)