Why is pollen a diploid?

Answer 1

Not sure what level you're asking this on; pollen is not really haploid (it has several cells). Anyway, here goes: In normal sexual reproduction, half of each parents' DNA combines to form a new genetic code. A haploid cell has half the number of chromosomes contained in a diploid (normal) cell. This means that the offspring are a mixture of the characteristics of the parent organisms, creating variety within the population. If pollen was not haploid, it could not provide genetic material capable of binding to the ovum's genes. Pollen actually contains 3 haploid cells; so a pollen grain is not a single cell. When it meets the stamen of another plant, one cell forms a tube going down to the ova, acting as a sort of navigation system, while 2 of the cells follow. It was at this point that this mornings genetics lecture ended, so to find out what happens next, I'll have to wait until next Monday. Hope some of that was useful :)

Answer 2

Because when they combine with another haploid cell, the result will be a diploid.

Think about it, sperm cells and egg cells are haploid. Humans have 46 chromosomes. So, sperm cells have 23 and egg cells have 23. When the sperm fertilizes the egg, the result will have 46 chromosomes. Therefore, one half of you genetic info comes from your dad while the other half comes from your mom.

Answer 3

the gamete need to haploid so that it can produce a offspring with normal genetic load(diploid) otherwise the genetic load of an organism may be increased...it may also lead to diseases or complications..eg., ploidy (Triploid )

Answer 4

The short answer

Sperm and egg cells are haploid so they can join together and become diploid. An egg cell and a sperm cell in humans each contain 23 chromosomes. Humans have 46 chromosomes, and they get half from each parent.

The more technical answer

The nucleus of a eukaryotic cell is haploid if it has a single set of chromosomes, each one not being part of a pair. By extension a cell may be called haploid if its nucleus is haploid, and an organism may be called haploid if its body cells (somatic cells) are haploid. The number of chromosomes in a single set is called the haploid number, given the symbol n.

Gametes (sperm and ova) are haploid cells. The haploid gametes produced by most organisms combine to form a zygote with npairs of chromosomes, one from each gamete, i.e. 2nchromosomes in total. The chromosomes in each pair, one of which comes from the sperm and one from the egg, are said to be homologous. Cells and organisms with pairs of homologous chromosomes are called diploid. For example, most animals are diploid and produce haploid gametes. During meiosis, sex cell precursors have their number of chromosomes halved by randomly "choosing" one member of each pair of chromosomes, resulting in haploid gametes. Because homologous chromosomes usually differ genetically, gametes usually differ genetically from one another.

All plants and many fungi and algae switch between a haploid and a diploid state, with one of the stages emphasized over the other. This is called alternation of generations. Most fungi and algae are haploid during the principal stage of their lifecycle, as are plants like mosses. Most animals are diploid, but male bees, wasps, and ants are haploid organisms because they develop from unfertilized, haploid eggs.