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What type of chromosomes does meiosis produce in male gametes?

  1. Haploid

  2. Diploid

  3. Triploid

  4. Tetraploid

The correct answer is: Haploid

Meiosis is the process of cell division that occurs in sexually reproducing organisms to produce gametes, which are the sperm and egg cells. During meiosis, a single diploid cell divides twice to produce four genetically diverse haploid cells. In the context of male gametes, meiosis results in sperm cells, which contain half the number of chromosomes compared to the original diploid cell. Since humans have 46 chromosomes, the haploid sperm cells produced through meiosis contain 23 chromosomes. This reduction in chromosome number is crucial for sexual reproduction because it allows the combination of genetic material from both parents when fertilization occurs, restoring the diploid chromosome number in the zygote. The other answers describe variations in chromosome number that do not occur through meiosis in the production of male gametes. Diploid indicates two sets of chromosomes, which would not represent the gametes produced by meiosis. Triploid and tetraploid refer to three and four sets of chromosomes, respectively, which are atypical in normal meiosis and not relevant to the generation of male gametes.