Stem Cells
And Cell Differentiation
Cell Differentiation
What Is Cell Differentiation?
The process in which a single generic cell develops into a specific type of cell in response to triggers or reactions from the body, or other single cells. These generic cells can develop into several types of cells. When a cell has the availability to do so, it is totipotent, but when a cell has availability to turn into several, but not all, it is pluripotent.
How does it work?
Cells begin to change in these following ways
- Shape
- Size
- Membrane potential
- Metabolic activity
- How they respond to signals
What controls the process of cell differentiation?
Gene Expression is the powerhouse behind the process of cell differentiation.
When genes encode proteins, these proteins dictate which cell functions in an area of the body.
Stem Cells
Stem cells are a kind of undifferentiated cell that differentiates itself to become specific cell types. There are adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells are in the body after embryonic development. They're found in many types of tissue such as brain, bone, and blood tissue. Embryonic stem cells are taken from an embryo is the blastocyst stage of its embryonic development. G
Embryonic Stem Cells from a mouse
Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Baboon Stem Cells
These cells produced a fully functional artery.