Explain the difference between a Haploid Cell and a Diploid Cell?
89268
Well haploid cells are cells that contain half the number of chromosomes present in the cell while diploid cells are cells that contain the full number of cromosomes present in that cell like in Humans there are 46chromosomes in one cell so since haploid means half the number thus it contains 23chromosomes and since diploid means full number of chromosomes then it means it contains 46chromosomes. Something to note is that haploid cells are usually reproductive cells and diploid cells are usually body cells.
264821
These differences are down to cellular level:\n\nEUKARYOTES:\n--Relatively bigger compared to prokaryotes \n--Have true nucleus (surrounded by nuclear envelope)\n--Cells contain golgi, lysosomes, ribosomes and endoplasmic reticulum\n--Have cell wall made of cellulose and chitin\n--Have linear DNA with protein forming true chromosomes\n--Have a nucleolus\n--Their flagella consist of microtubules\n--Membrane-bounded organelles like chloroplast present\n\nPROKARYOTES:\n--Relatively smaller in size\n--Don't have a permanent nucleus\n--Their cells contain ribosomes, but no vacuole or golgi\n--Cell wall is rigid and made up of murein\n--Have circular DNA, with no true chromosomes\n--No nucleolus present\n--Their flagella lack microtubules\n--No membrane bounded organelles present
526164
Meiosis:  \nprocess of cell division which occurs in the maturation of sex cells (Biology).\n\nMitosis:\nprocess of cell division resulting in two daughter cells which are identical to the original nucleus (Biology).
494099
same:   both have a lipid bi-layer membrane.  Both have Peripheral and integral membrane proteins.\n\nDifference:  single celled normally have cilia or flagella, single celled macrophage whereas multicelled normally don't.  Multicelled handle disease better.
95313
This happens regularly in the natural world. It's a common cause of what is referred to as polyploidy.\n\n"Polyploidy has occurred often in the evolution of plants.\nThe process can begin if diploid (2n) gametes are formed. These can arise in at least two ways.\n\n    * The gametes may be formed by mitosis instead of meiosis.\n    * Plants, in contrast to animals, form germ cells (sperm and eggs) from somatic tissues. If the chromosome content of a precursor somatic cell has accidentally doubled (e.g., as a result of passing through S phase of the cell cycle without following up with mitosis and cytokinesis), then gametes containing 2n chromosomes are formed."\n\n\nIf you are looking for someone to do your homework for you, as I suspect, then think again. I will suggest that you think about what will happen if this continues every genertion. That's the answer your teacher wants.
814544
Meiosis is a completely different process from mitosis.\n\nI should stop doing other people's homework...\n\nMeiosis ends with a different amount of cells, and the cells as a result of meiosis only have 1/2 of the chromosomes of the original cell, where in mitosis, the daughter cells have the same amount of chromosomes.\n\nIn meiosis, there are two divisions. \n\nMeiosis occurs only in reproductive cells. For example, in humans, sperm has 23chromosomes and eggs have 23 chromosomes, a normal human cell has 46, which is why it takes two reproductive cells to create a living thing.\n\nI could go on and on, but I have to return to my own work.
841675
, process of nuclear division in a living cell by which the number of chromosomes is reduced to half the original number. Meiosis occurs only in the process of gametogenesis, i.e., when the gametes, or sex cells (ovum and sperm), are being formed. Because fertilization consists of the fusion of two separate nuclei, one from each of the sex cells, meiosis is necessary to prevent the doubling of the chromosome number in each successive generation. An ordinary body cell is diploid; i.e., it contains two of each type of chromosome. The members of each pair are known as homologous chromosomes. An ovum or sperm is haploid; i.e., it contains only a single chromosome of each type and, therefore, half the number of chromosomes of the diploid cell. When the two haploid cells fuse, the diploid number is restored, and the plant or animal growing from the fertilized egg (zygote) has the usual diploid number of chromosomes in its cells. Just before meiosis each chromosome replicates to form two identical copies in the form of strands called chromatids joined together at a point called the centromere. In the first stage of meiosis, called the reduction division, the members of each pair of homologous chromosomes lie side by side and crossing over occurs. Each member of the pair then moves away from the other toward opposite ends of the dividing cell, and two nuclei, each with the haploid number of double-stringed chromosomes, are formed. Thus at the beginning of the second meiotic sequence, called the equational division, each cell nucleus contains one chromosome from each homologous pair and each chromosome is of two strands that are identical (except where crossing over has occurred). Then the chromosomes separate into their single strands which move toward opposite ends of the dividing nucleus. The result of meiotic division is four cells, each haploid, with one chromosome of each pair.
756043
Diploid. All cells in the body that have chromosomes, except germ line cells, are diploid. One set of chromosomes from each parent.
897747
32...\n\ngametes (16)are haploid....somatic body cells are double that number.....32
258433
mitosis is asexual reproduction, cells divide and reproduce replicating their own DNA exactly\n\nmeiosis is sexual reproduction, new cells contain only half of their original DNA, and half from a different parent source
687896
A human somatic cell is a "body cell" (not one involved in sexual reproduction). Therefore, there are 46 chromosomes in a somatic cell. This is also the diploid number. Since we have two sets of chromosomes (one comes from mom and one from dad), we say algebraically that the diploid number = 2n = 46 (in humans). Therefore a haploid set = n = 23 in humans (this would apply to sperm and eggs).
1104180
meiosis - cell divides but chromosomes are not duplicated. the product is two haploid cells with slightly different DNA (due to crossing over of chromosomes when they line up in metaphase)\nmitosis - cell divides into two identical daughter cells. if the mother cell is diploid, the two daughter cells will be too
60422
n MITOSIS, the 2 cells that come out of the division (lets call them the daughters), are EXACTLY the same in genetic makeup as the original mother cell. They have the very same DNA and therefore make the same proteins and therefore the cells behave the same.In MEIOSIS on the other hand, the cells are not the same at all. And in fact, this is the point of meiosis - to make new types of cells. You may know that eggs and sperm are products of meiosis, but you not only get a mixing of genes from your mother (from the egg) and father (from the sperm), but the genes inside the egg and sperm are pre-mixed because of meiosis. Thus, genetic diversity!, and an explanation for why you have traits given to you from your grandmother through your father, even though your father may not have that trait (he carries it in his genes for later mixing). This may be a complicated issue in itself but since we have 2 of every chromosome and therefore 2 of every gene (even before the DNA replication that preceeds mitosis), there's a chance that the 2 copies of the same gene are different, one of which shows up in your father and one which you have that you got from your grandmother throuh your father. The mixing, by the way comes about because after the DNA replicates in preparation for cell division. This is neat and involves chromosomes breaking apart and joining back together. Take a look at the animated movie of meiosis at http://www.biology.yale.edu/animatedMeiosis.nclk  - make a point to notice the red and green chromosomes at the beginning and the mixed ones at the end.
893531
In biology, meiosis is the process that allows one diploid cell to divide in a special way to generate haploid cells in eukaryotes. The word "meiosis" comes from the Greek meioun, meaning "to make smaller," since it results in a reduction in chromosome number.\n\nMeiosis is essential for sexual reproduction. It therefore occurs in most eukaryotes, including single-celled organisms. A few eukaryotes, notably the Bdelloid rotifers, have lost the ability to carry out meiosis and acquired the ability to reproduce by parthenogenesis. Meiosis does not occur in archaea or prokaryotes, which reproduce by asexual cell division processes.\n\nDuring meiosis, the genome of a diploid germ cell, which is composed of long segments of DNA called chromosomes, undergoes DNA replication followed by two rounds of division, resulting in haploid cells called gametes. Each gamete contains one complete set of chromosomes, or half of the genetic content of the original cell. These resultant haploid cells can fuse with other haploid cells of the opposite gender or mating type during fertilization to create a new diploid cell, or zygote. Thus, the division mechanism of meiosis is a reciprocal process to the joining of two genomes that occurs at fertilization. Because the chromosomes of each parent undergo genetic recombination during meiosis, each gamete, and thus each zygote, will have a unique genetic blueprint encoded in its DNA. In other words, meiosis is the process that produces genetic variation.\n\nBiochemically, meiosis uses some of the same mechanisms employed during mitosis to accomplish the redistribution of chromosomes. There are several features unique to meiosis, most importantly the pairing and recombination between homologous chromosomes, which enable them to separate from each other.\n\nMeiosis facilitates stable sexual reproduction. Without the halving of ploidy, or chromosome count, fertilization would result in zygotes that have twice the number of chromosomes than the zygotes from the previous generation. Successive generations would have an exponential increase in chromosome count, resulting in an unwieldy genome that would cripple the reproductive fitness of the species. Polyploidy, the state of having three or more sets of chromosomes, also results in developmental abnormalities or lethality.\n\nMost importantly, however, meiosis produces genetic variety in gametes that propagate to offspring. Recombination and independent assortment allow for a greater diversity of genotypes in the population. As a system of creating diversity, meiosis allows a species to maintain stability under environmental changes.
79598
Both previous answers are inaccurate.\n\nMitosis is sometimes called growth division. In plants and animals new cells are made continually. Mitosis results in two new cells identical genetically to the original which divided.\nWe are diploid animals which have 23 pairs of chromosomes. After mitosis both cells still have 23 pairs of chromosomes.\n\nMeiosis is a division which produces sex cells (sperm or ova). After division is complete, each sex cell has half the number of chromosomes; it is haploid. So instead of having 23 pairs the sex cells will have 23 chromosomes - one of each type of chromosome.
756341
Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into many different types of cells, they are called pleuripotent.  Regular cells do not have the ability to differentiate into any other kind of cell and the division of a regular cell will result in an identical and functionally similar daughter cell.  Stem cells can divide and one daughter cell may differentiate into a neuron and the other daughter cell may differentiate into a kidney cell.
534077
I scanned a diagram I have into the computer, I hope this helps:\n\nhttp://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i267/Miles_Tails_Prower__/Aminals007.jpg\n\nBy the way Crimedog, you are thinking of Mitosis.  Meiosis is for sexual reproduction while mitosis is the asexual reproduction of eukaryotic cells.  (yoo-ku-rO-tic - cells with membrane-bound organells)