Dr Paul Reynolds

• Identify principles governing cell differentiation

this is a weird question

Cell differentiation is the process by which dividing cells change their functional or phenotypical type

• Describe two stages of commitment

there is two stages

The First stage is known as specification this stage is reversible and it includes embryonic cells being put in a specific location which they will later differentiate into specific cell types. this can be reversed if a chemical/signal changes interacts with the cells receptors in order to change it

The Second stage is known as determination this stage is irreversible and it includes a cell that has already got through the stage of specification (the first stage of cellular commitment). at this point the cell is determined it will not respond to any chemical changes or signals to tell it not to differentiate

the initiation of stages of commitment are governed by extracellular and intrinsic factors

intrinsic signals - cell autonomous signal tells the cell who it is! it is essentially telling the cell what type of cell it is going to become