Diploid cells are those that contain two complete sets of chromosomes, one set inherited from each parent. In humans and many other organisms, diploid cells are most commonly found in somatic cells, which make up the majority of the body’s tissues and organs.
To elaborate, in humans, diploid cells have a total of 46 chromosomes, arranged in 23 pairs. These pairs consist of 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes, which determine a person’s biological sex (XX for females and XY for males). The process of fertilization, which involves the merging of two haploid gametes (sperm and egg), results in the formation of a diploid zygote. This zygote then undergoes multiple rounds of cell division, developing into a multicellular organism composed mainly of diploid cells.
In contrast, haploid cells, which contain only one set of chromosomes (23 in humans), are found in gametes. Understanding the distinction between diploid and haploid cells is key in genetics, reproduction, and developmental biology.