Question

Dhuman white blood cells are often multinucleated (in other words, have more than one nucleus). How many chromosomes would be present in a white blood cell with two nuclei?

Options:
a. 46
b. 92
c. 184
d. It varies depending on gender

Answer 1

A human white blood cell with two nuclei would have 92 chromosomes, which is the sum of the chromosome count from each nucleus.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question of how many chromosomes would be present in a human white blood cell with two nuclei can be answered by understanding the chromosome count in human somatic cells. A typical human body cell, or somatic cell, is diploid and contains 46 chromosomes.

A human white blood cell with two nuclei would have a total of 92 chromosomes. Human body cells, or somatic cells, have 46 chromosomes in total. The diploid configuration means that there are two matched sets of chromosomes. Therefore, each nucleus in the white blood cell would contain 46 chromosomes, resulting in a total of 92 chromosomes in the cell.

This means it has two matched sets of chromosomes, one set from each parent. Since cell nuclei in humans normally contain 46 chromosomes, a white blood cell with two nuclei would have a total of 92 chromosomes because it would simply be a sum of the chromosomes in each nucleus (46 + 46).

Therefore, the correct option is: b. 92