What is a common feature of human sperm and ova?

Sperm and ova, being the male and female gametes respectively, share a fundamental characteristic in terms of chromosome number. Both human sperm and ova are haploid, meaning that they each contain 23 chromosomes. This is half the total number of chromosomes present in somatic cells, which contain 46 chromosomes arranged in 23 pairs. The rationale behind this halved number is critical for sexual reproduction; when the sperm fertilizes the ovum, the resultant zygote re-establishes the diploid state with 46 chromosomes.

This haploid state is essential for maintaining the stability of the chromosome number across generations. During fertilization, the union of the haploid sperm and haploid ovum creates a new organism with the correct diploid chromosome count. Therefore, the shared haploid nature of both sperm and ova highlights a fundamental similarity between them in sexual reproduction.