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Somatic Cell Definition

Every organism is made up of cells, from the smallest single-celled organisms to the largest mammals and trees. According to "Merriam-Webster Dictionary," a “Somatic cell is one of the cells of the body that compose the tissues, organs, and parts of that individual other than the germ cells.” In other words, they are the building blocks of life.

  1. Somatic Cell

    • Every cell of the body except for the gametes is called a somatic cell. They are also called vegetative cells or body cells. Every somatic cell has a dual set of chromosomes or DNA while every gamete cell possesses a single set of chromosomes. Somatic cells of an organism are similar in their genetic makeup but differ from each other depending on their location. This process is brought about through differentiation. Initially, all somatic cells of the body are identical in every manner. Exposure to body chemicals and stimuli results in their specialization. For example, muscle cells are totally physiologically different from blood cells. This differentiation goes even deeper. Within blood cells there are many classifications: white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets are the primary ones.

    Zygote--The First Somatic Cell

    • During fertilization, the fusion of spermatozoa, or male gamete, and ovum, or female gamete, creates a somatic cell called a zygote. This is the first somatic cell in the life of an organism. By undergoing mitosis, it further divides into many more somatic cells, which then differentiate. In mitosis cell division, a parent cell divides into two daughter cell that are exact replicas of the parent. Through this method a zygote grows into an infant and then with age into an adult.

    The Basic Types of Somatic Cells

    • There are three basic classifications of somatic cells: body cells, undifferentiated stem cells, and gametocytes. Body cells are all the cells present in abundance in the body. Undifferentiated stem cells are those special cells of the body from which any cell can be created by exposing the stem cell, an unspecialized cell that gives rise to differential cells to the local cell population. Gametocyte is a cell that divides to produce gametes.

    Importance of Stem Cells

    • Undifferentiated stem cells possess the unique capability to morph into any other body cell type. As a result, the importance of stem cells in modern day medicine is enormous. Imagine if you could artificially control the characteristics of stem cells in a laboratory; you could make new blood cells and replenish lost blood in an accident. You could, potentially, cure cancer and many other incurable diseases through this method.

    Importance of Gametocytes

    • Gametocytes are a special group of somatic cells that are the precursors to germ cells or reproductive cells. These are the only cells of your body that undergo meiosis cell division. In meiosis the 23 pairs of chromosomes split into two parts, each with 23 chromosomes, and become sex cells, namely spermatozoa and ova. The precursor gametocytes to ova are always fixed in their number, and with increasing age they dwindle and ultimately become extinct. This is when women lose their fertility--i.e., “menopause.” This process, however, does not apply to spermatozoa precursors as their number always remains high throughout a male’s life.

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