A diploid cell has two pairs of homologous chromosomes. How many different combinations of chromosomes could there be in the gametes?

PLEASE HELP D:

Question

A diploid cell has two pairs of homologous chromosomes. How many different combinations of chromosomes could there be in the gametes? 


PLEASE HELP D:

anonymous · Answer

Are there multiple choice or no?

anonymous · Answer

No :(

anonymous · Answer

I believe, if I remember correctly, it's 23.  Let me check, though :)

anonymous · Answer

Okay, thanks

anonymous · Answer

It's kind of a weirdly phrased question.  Are they asking how many chromosomes are in a gamete or how many combinations there can be when the chromosomes from one gamete bond to chromosomes from another?

anonymous · Answer

That's what im not understanding :/ i guess it could be either

anonymous · Answer

Because there are 23 chromosomes in the haploid cells.  Chromosomes from each haploid cell (sperm/egg) come together to from a diploid cell, meaning that the 23 chromosomes from the sperm have intermixed with 23 chromosomes in haploid cells of the egg.  So if they're asking for how many chromosomes are in the gamete (sperm/egg), it would be 23.  But I have to figure out what it is if they're asking about a combination of DNA which I'm assuming would mean like which recessive/dominant genes are bonded together in the DNA of the haploid.

anonymous · Answer

oh wow thank you! and im pretty sure there asking what u explained..your so smart ^_^

anonymous · Answer

Wait, actually I think I just got it, and I'm not sure if that's what they're asking.  lol thank you.  Let me explain what I think they may be asking.

anonymous · Answer

Okay

anonymous · Answer

Okay, so notice at the top where it says "A diploid cell contains two pairs of homologous chromosomes."  Two (one pair) chromosomes come from each parent.  Homologous means that those two chromosomes/genes are both either recessive or dominant rather than heterozygous which means that one chromosome/gene is recessive and one is dominant from that one gamete.  So, if both parents here have a homologous pair of chromosomes, this means that there could be two different combinations of chromosomes/genes in their gametes.  The two combinations would be either recessive and recessive or dominant and dominant.  Make sense?

anonymous · Answer

omg wow thank you so much!! it does :D

anonymous · Answer

No problem!  I'm so glad! :)

anonymous · Answer

Me too :D