Ploidy

Ploidy refers to the number of sets of chromosomes in a cell, which contain genetic information. Humans, for example, are diploid, meaning each cell has two sets—one inherited from each parent. Other organisms can have different ploidy levels; for instance, some plants and fungi have polyploidy, meaning more than two sets of chromosomes, which can contribute to larger size or greater genetic diversity. Ploidy is important for understanding an organism's genetics, reproduction, and evolution, as changes in chromosome number can impact development and fertility.