Final answer:
Gametes, such as sperm and egg cells, are germ cells. They are haploid, containing only one set of chromosomes, and undergo gametogenesis to become mature reproductive cells capable of fertilization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gametes, which include sperm and egg cells or their precursors, are referred to as germ cells. Therefore, the correct answer is b) Germ cells. Germ cells are distinct from somatic cells, which are body cells. While somatic cells are diploid and have two sets of chromosomes, germ cells are haploid and contain only one set of chromosomes.
At the end of meiosis, four haploid cells are produced, which must go through the process of gametogenesis to develop into mature gametes capable of fertilization. In males, this process is called spermatogenesis, and the resulting gametes are sperm. In females, the process is called oogenesis, and it results in the production of eggs.