Diploid vs. Haploid

Main Difference

Medicine is a vast field, and medical terms are complicated to understand even for people who have a brief knowledge about the subject. Such two terms which are related to the cells in a human body are known as Diploid and Haploid. To understand these two words and finding their difference we have to go back to the basics. Ploidy is a term which is used to express the number of chromosomes in a human cell. These sets of chromosomes are carried by the gamete. This is where the definition of both the terms come in. A haploid number is the number of chromosomes which a gamete carries. The chief role of haploids is in the internally such as the processes of sexual reproduction. While the primary function of diploids is to give distinction to the human body and gives maturity to different features such as looks and muscles. Two gametes from a diploid, which can be defined as two sets of chromosomes. So it can be said that the main difference between these two is the number of cells they carry in each other. Another difference between the terms is that most of the cells which are present for reproduction are haploid cells while only a few of them are diploid. Therefore, sperm consists of general haploids while the rest of the body such as muscle tissues and other surfaces are predominantly diploid. They can also be differentiated by the type of reproduction. Mitosis is the process by which diploid cells are reproduced while meiosis is the process by which haploid are produced. A brief description of the two types of cells is given in the next lines.

Difference Between Diploid and Haploid

Comparison Chart

Definition of Haploid

These are the cells of the human body which only have one set of chromosomes. They are also known as gametes which carry chromosomes within them. One set of them is present therefore such type of cells is called haploid. These cells are reproduced with the process of meiosis and therefore are used in the process of sexual reproduction. In the process, two different sets of gametes combine together to form a complete set of chromosomes which result in the formation of an offspring. They can also be known as monoploid in some cases though this term is not as frequently used. Because medically monoploid is the term preferred for the particular type of cells which exist in a body while haploid is specific to cells with one chromosome in them. A human body generally has twenty-three sets of different chromosomes in haploid cells. They will always be half the number of diploids found in the human body, and the best example of such type of cells is the sperm cells or the reproduction cells. They are also present in plants and other bacterial objects.

Definition of Diploid

These are the cells in a human body which have two sets of chromosomes. The best example of such types of cells is the ones found in the human muscles. They have two pairs which are carried through the human body which in total has 46 sets of diploid. Initially, the parent chromosomes provide one set each for the cell, and they are combined together and stay in the human body which gives distinct feature. Most other animals and birds have diploids cells in them. Since they are reproduced with the help of mitosis, there is always a twin cell for every single cell already present. Most of our bodies consist of diploid cells except for the haploids which are present in half the number. Diploids are those primary cells which help in giving shape to a human body, it improves the look of muscles of arms, legs, body and face.

Conclusion

In summary, it can be said that both the terms are closely relate to each other but have very different meanings. Both perform the same functions but the way the processes are carried out and the activities done are variable. All in all, the article has compared and shown them in a proper manner.