Genetics of Cell Differentiation

  • All cells of an organism contain the same DNA
  • All cells do not look or act the same
  • Cells become specialized.
    • Some parts of the DNA are turned off or deactivated
      • DNA methylation
Cell progression to differentiation
  • Zygote -> totipotent cell -> has the ability to becomeĀ any bodycell zygote divide into stem cells
  • Epithelial stem cells -> make various types of skin cells
    • Pluripotent -> make different types of cells, but cannot make all cells
  • Specific cells -> Stomach epithelial cells.
    • They can only make more of themselves.
    • They can only make 1 type of cell