Difference Between Somatic Cell and Egg Cell

The key difference between somatic cell and egg cell is that somatic cell is a diploid cell that has a total of 46 chromosomes while egg cell is a haploid cell that contains 23 chromosomes.

Cell is the smallest unit of the life. Hence, it is the building block of living organisms. There are different types of cells in a living organism. However, all these cells can group into two major categories; namely, somatic cells and sex cells. Somatic cells are the biological cells that involve in the formation of the body of an organism. Sex cells are the cells that participate in sexual reproduction. There are two types of sex cells; namely, sperm or the male sex cell and egg or the female sex cell.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Somatic Cell
3. What is an Egg Cell
4. Similarities Between Somatic Cell and Egg Cell
5. Side by Side Comparison – Somatic Cell vs Egg Cell in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is a Somatic Cell?

Any biological cell other than a sex cell or a gamete is known as a somatic cell. Also, somatic cells are vegetative cells. They contain the full number of chromosomes, and hence, they are diploid cells (2n). In the genome of a somatic cell, there are 46 chromosomes within 23 pairs.

Somatic cell forms as a result of mitosis. And these cells involve in the formation of the body of an organism.

What is an Egg Cell?

The egg cell is the reproductive cell or the sex cell of a female organism that involves in sexual reproduction. The egg cell forms as a result of meiosis and has half the number of total chromosomes. That is, it only contains a total of 23 unpaired chromosomes. Hence, it is a haploid cell (n).

The egg cell can fuse with a male gamete and form a zygote that can grow into a multicellular organism.

What are the Similarities Between Somatic Cell and Egg Cell?

• Somatic cell and egg cells are both eukaryotic cells.
• Both cell types are essential for living organisms.
• Somatic and Egg Cells contain chromosomes.

What is the Difference Between Somatic Cell and Egg Cell?

Somatic Cell vs Egg Cell
Somatic Cell is a biological cell that contributes to the formation of the body of an organism. And also somatic cell is a vegetative cell that is not a sex cell.	Egg Cell is a female sex cell of an organism.
Formation
Mitosis forms somatic Cells.	Meiosis forms egg Cells.
Sex cell or Not
Somatic Cell is not a sex cell.	Egg Cell is a sex cell.
Diploid or Haploid
Somatic Cell is a diploid cell (2n).	Egg Cell is a haploid cell (n).
Total Number of Chromosomes
A total of 46 chromosomes are in the genome of Somatic Cell.	Egg Cell has a total of 23 chromosomes in the genome.
Paired or Unpaired Chromosomes
Somatic Cell has chromosomes arranged in pairs.	Egg Cell has single unpaired chromosomes.
Involvement in Controlling the Functions of the Body Organs
Somatic Cells are involved in controlling the functions of the organs of the body.	Egg Cells do not take part in controlling the functions of the body organs.
Involvement in Reproduction
Somatic Cells do not involve in the reproduction.	Egg Cells take part in the reproduction.
Ability to Fuse with Another Haploid Cell
Somatic Cells are unable to fuse with other cells.	Egg Cell is able to fuse with a male gamete or a sperm.
Synonyms
Vegetative cell or biological cell are synonyms of the Somatic cell.	Germ cell, gamete, gametocyte are synonyms of the egg cell.

Summary – Somatic Cell vs Egg Cell

To summarize the difference between somatic cell and egg cell, in brief, a somatic cell is any biological cell found in the body that is not a sex cell. Somatic cells are diploid and involve in the formation of the body of the multicellular organisms. The egg cell is one type of sex cell (female sex cell) found in living organisms. It is a haploid cell with 23 unpaired chromosomes and involves in the sexual reproduction. The egg cell forms a zygote to grow into a new organism.

Reference:

1.“Somatic Cell.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Apr. 2018.  Available here  
2.“Egg Cell.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Apr. 2018. Available here 

Image Courtesy:

1.’Somatic cells stainied with NL-LW staining solution’By PeterNR – Own work, (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia 
2.’Human egg cell’By KDS444 – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia