How many chromosomes are present in human sex cells?

Human sex cells, also known as gametes (sperm and eggs), contain 23 chromosomes. This number is crucial because gametes are produced through a process called meiosis, which halves the chromosome number from the diploid state found in somatic (body) cells. While somatic cells contain a total of 46 chromosomes—23 pairs—sex cells only carry one set of chromosomes. This is important for sexual reproduction, as when a sperm fertilizes an egg, the resulting zygote will have 46 chromosomes once again, restoring the diploid count. Thus, the presence of 23 chromosomes in sex cells ensures the proper genetic contribution from each parent during reproduction.