Here's a breakdown:

* Somatic cells are all the cells in a multicellular organism except for the gametes (sperm and egg cells).

* They are responsible for building and maintaining the body, performing various functions like digestion, respiration, and movement.

* They are diploid, meaning they contain two sets of chromosomes.

* In contrast, gametes are haploid, meaning they contain only one set of chromosomes.

Let me know if you have any other questions!