Male and female gametes are __________. (diploid/haploid)

Answer

To answer the question "Male and female gametes are __________," we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Gametes**:
- Gametes are the reproductive cells involved in sexual reproduction. In humans, there are two types of gametes: male gametes (sperm) and female gametes (ova or eggs).

2. **Defining Diploid and Haploid**:
- Diploid cells (2n) contain two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent. In humans, diploid cells have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs).
- Haploid cells (n) contain only one set of chromosomes, which is half the number of diploid cells. In humans, haploid cells have 23 chromosomes.

3. **Process of Gametogenesis**:
- Gametogenesis is the process of forming gametes. During this process, meiosis occurs. Meiosis is a type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half.

4. **Meiosis and Chromosome Reduction**:
- During meiosis, a diploid precursor cell undergoes two rounds of division, resulting in four haploid cells. This means that the gametes produced (sperm and ova) will each have half the number of chromosomes compared to the original diploid cell.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Since male and female gametes are produced through meiosis, they are haploid in nature.

### Final Answer:
Male and female gametes are **haploid**.

---