Question

How many homologous chromosomes are there in a germ cell of a woman? Of a man?

A) 23 in women, 22 in men
B) 22 in women, 23 in men
C) 23 in both women and men
D) 22 in both women and men

Answer 1

Both women and men have 23 homologous chromosomes in their germ cells due to the process of meiosis, which halves the chromosome number for the formation of eggs and sperm. Thus, the correct answer is option C) 23 in both women and men

Step-by-step explanation:

In both women and men, germ cells contain 23 homologous chromosomes.

During the process of gametogenesis, germ cells (sperm and egg cells) undergo a special type of cell division called meiosis. In meiosis, the number of chromosomes is halved, resulting in gametes with half the genetic material of somatic cells. In humans, somatic cells have 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs. Each parent contributes one chromosome to each pair, and these pairs are called homologous chromosomes.

For women, the germ cells, or eggs, contain 23 chromosomes—half the usual number. In men, the germ cells, or sperm, also carry 23 chromosomes. This ensures that when fertilization occurs, and the egg and sperm combine, the resulting zygote has the correct diploid number of 46 chromosomes, with 23 from each parent.

In summary, the correct answer is C) 23 in both women and men because during gametogenesis, germ cells from both sexes undergo meiosis and end up with half the number of chromosomes present in somatic cells, resulting in 23 homologous chromosomes.

Answer 2

There are 23 homologous chromosomes in a germ cell of a woman and 22 homologous chromosomes in a germ cell of a man.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a germ cell of a woman, there are 23 homologous chromosomes. These include 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes, which are two X chromosomes.

In a germ cell of a man, there are 22 homologous chromosomes. These include 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes, which is one X chromosome and one Y chromosome.

Homologous chromosomes are pairs of chromosomes that have the same genes in the same order, although they may have different alleles for those genes.