What is a somatic cell?

A somatic cell is defined as any cell in the body that is not a sex cell, or gamete. These cells make up most of an organism's tissues and organs, including skin, muscle, and blood cells. They contain the full set of chromosomes and are involved in the everyday functioning and maintenance of the organism's body, as opposed to gametes, which are specialized for reproduction.

In contrast, options that reference sex cells or gametes are not accurate in describing somatic cells, as these types of cells play a distinct role in reproduction and do not contribute to the body's somatic functions. Additionally, the option regarding a cell that solely stores genetic information fails to capture the complexity and roles of somatic cells, which are not only involved in genetic material but also in metabolic processes and organismal structure. Lastly, identifying somatic cells as a type of bacteria is misleading since bacteria are a separate category of living organisms that do not fit the definition or function of somatic cells in multicellular organisms.