Question

What is the phenomenon of dedifferentiation? (a) Regaining the capacity to divide (b) Loosing the capacity to divide (c) Loosing the capacity to divide after regaining (d) All of these

Short answer

The correct answer is (a) Regaining the capacity to divide.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding the term dedifferentiation

Dedifferentiation is a process often seen in biological systems where a cell reverts from a specialized, differentiated state to a less specialized one. This might include, among other things, regaining the capacity to divide.

Comparing definitions to options

Given the above understanding of dedifferentiation, the student should compare this definition to each of the available options, ruling out any that does not fit this description.

Selecting the correct option

The description matching the understanding of dedifferentiation is: 'Regaining the capacity to divide'. Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

Key concepts

Cell Biology

Imagine tiny building blocks so microscopic and complex that they make up all living organisms, including you and me. These building blocks are cells, the fundamental units of life. In cell biology, we study cells' intricate structures and how they function, reproduce, and respond to their environment.

What is a Cell?

A cell is the smallest unit of life, enclosed in a plasma membrane and housing vital organelles needed for its daily operations. Plants, animals, and microbes are all made of cells, some from just a single cell (unicellular), while others are multicellular, like humans, with trillions of cells.

Key Functions of Cells

Cells have a variety of responsibilities, including metabolism (turning nutrients into energy), synthesis of molecules, and maintaining homeostasis. However, one of the most pivotal roles is cell division, which allows for growth, repair, and reproduction. When exploring the phenomenon of dedifferentiation, one uncovers how cells can sometimes turn back the biological clock, so to speak, and return to a more primordial, division-capable state.

Specialized Cells

In the vast opera of the human body, each cell has a role, a specialization that contributes to our body's harmony. Specialized cells have unique shapes and functions that fit their specific tasks. For instance, neurons in the brain send electrical signals, while red blood cells shuttle oxygen through the bloodstream.

How Cells Become Specialized

Through a process called differentiation, cells become specialized after cell division. This process involves turning on and off specific genes to give cells their unique properties. Each specialized cell type follows a strict internal script, usually preventing them from reverting to an undifferentiated state or changing their specialized role.

However, in extraordinary circumstances, like injury or disease, this process can sometimes be reversed through dedifferentiation. This ability to un-specialize contradicts what we typically observe, where once a cell becomes specialized, it doesn't normally return to a state where it can easily divide again.

Cell Division

From tiny acorns, mighty oaks grow, and the same is true for the trillions of cells in our bodies—a product of cell division. Cell division is essentially how cells reproduce, splitting into two daughter cells. There are two main types of cell division: mitosis and meiosis.

Mitosis

Mitosis is the way most cells divide, allowing an organism to grow or heal wounds. During mitosis, a single cell duplicates its DNA and then splits to form two identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

On the other hand, meiosis is a special form of cell division that produces gametes—sperm and egg cells—with half the genetic material of the original cell. This is vital for sexual reproduction.

Both forms of division are tightly controlled, and when a cell dedifferentiates, it regains the ability to divide—usually through mitosis. This capability is critical for regenerative processes and has implications in medical treatments and understanding cancer development, where control of cell division becomes disrupted.