Final answer:
Each human body cell contains 46 chromosomes, with 23 inherited from the mother and 23 from the father. This genetic combination occurs during sexual reproduction when the egg and sperm, which are haploid, unite to form a diploid zygote.
Step-by-step explanation:
Of the 46 chromosomes in a normal diploid human cell, half are maternally derived (from the mother's egg) and half are paternally derived (from the father's sperm). This means that 23 chromosomes come from the mother and 23 chromosomes come from the father. During sexual reproduction, these chromosomes combine to form a new organism with a complete set of 46 chromosomes. Sperm and egg cells are haploid, having only one set of chromosomes. They combine to form a diploid zygote with two sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.
So, the answer to the question is: 46 chromosomes in human body cells: half come from the mother, and half come from the father. The correct option is 1) mother, father.