Gametes are reproductive cells (sex cells) that unite during sexual reproduction to form a new cell called a zygote. In humans, male gametes are sperm and female gametes are ova (eggs). Sperm are motile and have a long, tail-like projection called a flagellum. Ova however, are non-motile and relatively large in comparison to the male gamete.

Gametes are produced by a type of cell division called meiosis. They are haploid, meaning that they contain only one set of chromosomes. When the haploid male and female gametes unite in a process called fertilization, they form what is called a zygote. The zygote is diploid and contains two sets of chromosomes.

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