4.1.1.4 Cell Differentiation Flashcards
What happens to cells after fertilisation?
- After fertilisation all of the cells are identical for the first few days and then they start to specialise to carry out a particular function
When do most types of animal cells differentiate?
at an early stage
When do most types of plant cell differentiate?
most types of plant cells retain the ability to differentiate throughout their lives
Specialised:
when cells or tissues become adapted to carry out their specific function
What happens when cells have specialised?
when cells have specialised they have undergone differentiation
Differentiation:
when cells gain certain features needed for their function (they become specialised)
In mature animals what is cell division mainly restricted to?
Repair and replacement
As a cell differentiates what does it acquire?
- Different sub-cellular structures to enable it to carry out a certain function
- It has become a specialised cell
Pluripotent:
The ability of a cell to differentiate into all the different types of cells in the body
Diagram showing differentiation and self-renewal of stem cells: