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Differentiation Turns Unspecialised Cells into Specialised Ones

Definition

Differentiation

The process by which an unspecialised cell gains the sub-cellular structures it needs to become a specialised cell.

  1. As an organism develops, its cells differentiate to form the different types of cell it needs.
  2. Differentiation is the process by which an unspecialised cell gains the sub-cellular structures it needs for a particular job.
  3. As it differentiates, a cell may change shape and gain more of certain organelles, becoming a specialised cell.
  4. Differentiation matters because it lets one fertilised egg build all the specialised cells of a whole organism.
  5. Unspecialised cells that can still divide and differentiate into other cell types are called stem cells.

A diagram showing a central stem cell and the various specialized animal cells it can differentiate into, including immune, fat, bone, epithelial, red blood, muscle, and nerve cells, as well as gametes.

Example
  • To become a nerve cell, an unspecialised cell grows long extensions of cytoplasm to carry impulses.
  • To become a muscle cell, it gains extra mitochondria and protein fibres so it can contract.

A diagram showing how identical stem cells differentiate into different specialised cells, such as a muscle cell and a nerve cell, through the expression of different genes.

Animals and Plants Differentiate at Different Times

Definition

Specialised cell

A cell whose structure is adapted to carry out a particular function, such as a sperm, nerve or root hair cell.

  1. In animals, most cells differentiate at an early stage while the organism is developing.

A timeline of human development from fertilization to implantation, showing the zygote, 2-cell, 4-cell, and 8-cell stages, the blastocyst with its inner cell mass, and the final implantation into the uterine lining.

  1. Once an animal cell has specialised, it usually loses the ability to differentiate into other types of cell.
  2. In mature animals, cell division is mainly restricted to the repair and replacement of cells.
  3. Many plant cells keep the ability to differentiate throughout the plant's life.
  4. Mature animal cells still divide for growth, repair and replacement, but mostly cannot change into a different type of cell.
Self review
  • What is cell differentiation?
  • What does a cell gain as it differentiates?
  • At what stage do most animal cells differentiate?
  • What is cell division mainly used for in mature animals?
  • How does differentiation in plants differ from differentiation in animals?
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1.1.4 Cell differentiation Revision Guide

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