Polyploidy
Definition
Polyploidy is a condition in which an organism has more than two complete sets of chromosomes.
Analogy
Imagine you're baking cookies and the recipe calls for one set of ingredients. Normally, you'd have one set of everything - flour, sugar, eggs, etc. But in polyploidy, it's like having multiple sets of ingredients. Instead of just one bag of flour or sugar, you have three or four!
Related terms
Diploid: This refers to cells that contain two complete sets of chromosomes (the normal amount in humans).
Tetraploid: This term describes cells or organisms with four complete sets of chromosomes.
Chromosomes: These are thread-like structures located inside the nucleus of animal and plant cells. Each chromosome is made up proteins and a single molecule DNA.
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