Science

Cell Differentiation

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Below is a very important statement.

All multi-cellular organisms begin life as one cell.

How is it possible to begin with a simple cell and end up with a complex organism?

The simple answer is a process called differentiation or specialization occurs. Let's look at an example to help understand how it is possible for a simple cell to end up a complex organism.

In a developing embryo, the first few cells look the same, but as they continue to divide, they change slightly in order to become specialized and carry out a particular task. How do they know when and how to do this? Differentiation is controlled by the cells' DNA. Similar cells then begin to group together to form tissue. Different tissues combine together to form organs. Organs that work together form organ systems. The image below demonstrates the steps of differentiation where cells group together to create the stomach and then the digestive system.