Final answer:
Somatic cells are body cells involved in the structural components of the body, while gametes are cells involved in sexual reproduction. Somatic cells are diploid and contain two sets of chromosomes, while gametes are haploid and have half the number of chromosomes as somatic cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
Somatic cells are the general term for body cells and are involved in the structural components of the body, such as tissues, muscles, and organs. They contain two copies of each chromosome and are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes. In contrast, gametes, which are the cells involved in sexual reproduction, have half the number of chromosomes as somatic cells and are haploid.
For example, in humans, somatic cells have 46 chromosomes, while gametes have 23 chromosomes. Somatic cells divide regularly, except for certain types of cells like gametes, red blood cells, some neurons, and muscle cells.