What is Cell Differentiation?

Cell Differentiation is a part of plant development in which precursor cells give rise to a distinct cell that achieves different structural, metabolic and functional characteristics.

Example of Differentiation

For the movement of water and solutes plant cell possess tracheary elements which become dead at maturity, before their cell death tracheary cells become highly active and construct an elaborated patterned secondary cell wall.

Cell death is the genetically predetermined endpoint of tracheary element differentiation.

Significance of Differentiation

Differentiated cells become acquire specific properties to perform a particular task with less energy and more efficiently.

Role of Hormones in Differentiation

Differentiation is regulated by plant hormones i.e. the regeneration of damaged vascular tissue is induced by parenchyma cells under the influence of auxin hormone produced by young leaves and apical meristem.

Cytoplasm: Definition, Function, Examples, and Facts

What is Dedifferentiation?

In plants under certain conditions, the differentiated cells (cells lack division capacity) earn the ability of mitotic division is termed dedifferentiation.

For example- Completely differentiated parenchyma converts into cork cambium.

What is Re-differentiation?

When a dedifferentiated cell becomes mature but loses its division ability is referred to as redifferentiation.

For example- secondary phloem formation.

Cell Differentiation Citations

• The Long-Standing Paradox of Seed Dormancy Unfolded? Trends Plant Sci . 2019 Nov;24(11):989-998.
• The role of light in regulating seed dormancy and germination. J Integr Plant Biol . 2020 Sep;62(9):1310-1326.
• Seed dormancy and germination. Curr Biol . 2017 Sep 11;27(17):R874-R878.