All cells in the body have life cycles; they grow, divide, and eventually die. However, as we learned last week, not all cells have the same characteristics or serve the same functions! In our bodies, we have two (2) main types of cell: somatic and sex cells (germ line).

In humans (and mammals in general), sex cells are a male's sperm cells and a female's ovum (egg cells); all other cells are categorically somatic. When new cells are needed (once the growth cycle has reached a point where its surface area and volume demand it), both types of cell under a process that involves replicating their genetic code of instructions (DNA) followed by segregating or separating of that genetic information. The primary difference between the growth and division processes between somatic and sex cells is that sex cells, ostensibly, go through the division process twice! Why would they do this?...great question.

Somatic cells aim to make a second, identical copy of itself, complete with DNA and all necessary organelles. Sex cells, however, only need half (haploid) the genetic information; otherwise, when a sperm and egg joined, they would have twice as much genetic information. This is precisely why you get half of your genes from your father (male contributor) and half of your genes from your mother (female contributor). Pretty cool, huh?!

Intelligent People Make Amazingly Terrific Copies!