Cell specialization is also called
Differentiation, which is the process of a cell becoming more specialized. Remember our friend the stem cell and how he could become any cell he wanted if her received the proper signal? Well once a stem cell becomes a red blood cell or a bone cell it's become differentiated. This means that bone cell can only divide to make more bone cells. Stem cells can become bone cells, red blood cells, skin cells, nerve cells and skeletal muscle cells.
De-specialization is when a cell becomes less specialized. So when a salamander loses his leg that bone cell goes through
De-Differentiation. That means it can go back to being a stem cell. A stem cell can even go through
Re-Differentiation, meaning that a stem cell can return to only being a multipotent cell.
Before a cell goes through differentiation it's
Pluripotent. That means it can develop into most any cell. After the stem cell differentiates it's
multipotent.
Credits of picture to
Scientific American
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