Question

Which of the following choices accurately describes a zygote?

A. a structure or organ within an organism that produces gametes
B. a specialized cell that contains half the number of chromosomes found in the other cells of an organism
C. a spore-like cell that is produced during asexual reproduction and that can grow into a new organism
D. a cell that forms as the result of fertilization and has the same number of chromosomes as the parent cells

Answer 1

A zygote is a diploid cell that results from the fertilization of two haploid gametes, containing a full set of chromosomes from both parents. It is the initial cell that undergoes mitosis to develop into a multicellular organism.

Step-by-step explanation:

The zygote is defined as a cell that forms as the result of fertilization and contains the same number of chromosomes as the parent cells. This describes option D accurately. During reproduction, two haploid gametes from each parent fuse together to create the zygote, which is a diploid cell. This single cell contains a full set of chromosomes, half from each parent. In humans, a zygote would have 46 chromosomes, comprising 23 pairs. The zygote then begins to divide by mitosis to eventually form a multicellular organism. The process of going from a single-celled zygote to a full organism, such as a human, involves billions of cell divisions and is the beginning of embryonic development.