In developmental biology, cellular differentiation is the process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type. Differentiation occurs numerous times during the development of a multicellular organism as the organism changes from a simplezygote to a complex system of tissues and cell types. Differentiation continues in adulthood as adult stem cells divide and create fully differentiated daughter cells during tissue repair and during normal cell turnover. Differentiation dramatically changes a cell's size, shape, membrane potential, metabolic activity, and responsiveness to signals. These changes are largely due to highly controlled modifications in gene expression. With a few exceptions, cellular differentiation almost never involves a change in the DNA sequence itself. Thus, different cells can have very different physical characteristics despite having the same genome.
Somatic cells are any cells in the body that are not reproductive cells, such as sperm and egg cells. They make up the majority of cells in our body and are responsible for carrying out specific functions, such as muscle movement, digestion, and skin protection.
No, somatic cells are not identical in structure. While they all contain the same genetic information, they can differ in size, shape, and specific functions. This is due to the process of differentiation, where cells specialize and take on specific roles in the body.
Yes, somatic cells have the same genetic information. They all contain the same set of chromosomes, which carry our DNA and genetic instructions. However, not all genes are active in every cell, resulting in different functions and characteristics.
Yes, somatic cells can reproduce through a process called mitosis. This is when a cell divides into two identical daughter cells, each with the same genetic information as the parent cell. This is important for growth, tissue repair, and replacing old or damaged cells.
Somatic cells and stem cells differ in their ability to differentiate and specialize. Somatic cells have already undergone differentiation and can only perform specific functions, while stem cells have the potential to develop into many different types of cells. Additionally, somatic cells are diploid (containing two sets of chromosomes), while stem cells can be either diploid or haploid (containing one set of chromosomes).