A gamete is a specialized reproductive cell that plays a crucial role in sexual reproduction. In humans and many other organisms, there are two types of gametes: sperm and egg cells. Sperm are produced by males, while eggs are produced by females. When a sperm fertilizes an egg, it forms a zygote, which can develop into a new organism. Gametes are haploid cells, meaning they contain half the number of chromosomes found in regular body cells. In humans, this means each gamete has 23 chromosomes, while body cells have 46. This reduction in chromosome number is essential for maintaining genetic stability across generations when gametes combine during fertilization.