Gametes
Sperm, eggs, pollen and ovule.
Cells just for reproduction
Most cells of your body do many jobs. But a few cells exist only for reproduction.
What do you think these cells are called?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Gametes are haploid cells that serve only for reproduction: sperm (male) and eggs (female) in animals; in plants the pollen grain carries male gametes to the ovule, which contains the female gametes.
Cells just for reproduction
Most cells of your body do many jobs. But a few cells exist only for reproduction.
What do you think these cells are called?
- Gametes
- Spores
- Buds
Male or female gamete?
Sort each item into the right group.
Haploid cells for reproduction
Male gametes and female gametes are made by meiosis. They are haploid and are used only for reproduction.
Gametes are haploid cells that serve only for reproduction: sperm (male) and eggs (female) in animals. In plants the pollen grain carries the male gametes to the ovule, which contains the female gametes.
Notes
Gametes are haploid cells used only for reproduction: sperm and eggs; in plants the pollen grain carries male gametes to the ovule with the female gametes.
Check yourself
Gametes are cells used…
In plants, the female gametes are in the…
In plants, which structure carries the male gametes to the ovule?
A human gamete is haploid. How many chromosomes does it have?
Answer: 23
A human gamete has 23 chromosomes.
- for photosynthesis. Gametes are reproductive cells. Photosynthesis is done by the leaves of plants.
- only for reproduction — correct. Yes!
- only to store food. Gametes are used only for reproduction.
- pollen grain. The pollen grain contains the male gametes.
- sepal. A sepal is the green outer covering of a bud, not a gamete holder.
- ovule — correct. Yes!
- The pollen grain — correct. Yes!
- The egg. An egg is a female gamete, found in the ovule.
- The bud. A bud is an outgrowth in organisms such as hydra, not a plant gamete carrier.