Which of the following statements is true regarding somatic cells?

Somatic cells are indeed classified as diploid cells, which is the reason this statement is considered true. In diploid cells, there are two complete sets of chromosomes, one inherited from each parent. This characteristic is crucial for the functioning of somatic cells, which make up the majority of the body's tissues and organs in multicellular organisms.

Somatic cells are distinct from gametes, which are haploid and involved in reproduction. While all cells in a multicellular organism except for gametes are somatic, it is also important to note that somatic cells are not exclusively tied to multicellular organisms; unicellular organisms can have somatic-like cells depending on their structural and functional organization. Moreover, they do not undergo meiosis, which is the specialized division process that produces gametes. Instead, somatic cells typically undergo mitosis for growth and repair. Understanding these characteristics highlights the fundamental role somatic cells play within an organism while distinguishing them from reproductive cells.