How do these chromosomes compare to each other?

Question

How does the # of chromosomes in each newly formed cell compare to the # of chromosomes in the parent cell?

Also, are these newly formed cells diploid or haploid?
Thanks :)

Answer 1

The answer depends on whether we are talking about mitosis/meiosis or whether your question referrs to when an oocyte and sperm fuse, and the 2 homologous chromosomes "find" each other before cell division.

In case of mitosis, the 2 portions of a chromosome, called chromatides, do not have to find each other, but they are already since DNA duplication during S-phase. DNA is replicated and the 2 chromatides are bound by molecules of condensin and cohesins. During cell division, this "glue" breaks down (at Anaphase B) and each chromatide migrates towards one of the spindle pole. The nuclear membrane of each of the new daughter cells will reform around this pole (after the spindle de-polymerases).

As for the number of chromosome, the whole point of mitosis is to give 2 identical cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell, so it compares 100%! Mitosis generates diploid cells. The only mechanism that generates haploid cells (oocytes or sperms) is meiosis.

Answer 2

Don't quite know which chromosomes you are talking about.

If you are talking about the chromosomes of a human child compared with the chromosomes of its parents ...

The child's cells have 2 sets of chromosomes, just like the parents. Except one set has come from father and one set has come from mother.

The child's cells are diploid.

The parents' GAMETES (joined to form the child) are haploid (=monoploid) and they fuse to form a diploid cell.