what is cell differentiation

Cell differentiation is the process by which a stem cell changes from one type to a differentiated one. It is the natural process through which a cell with less specificity develops and matures to become more distinct in terms of form and function. Stem cells typically have the capacity to mature into many different cell types. Differentiation happens multiple times during the development of a multicellular organism as it changes from a simple zygote to a complex system of tissues and cell types. It also continues in adulthood as adult stem cells divide and create fully differentiated daughter cells during tissue repair and during normal cell turnover. The process of cell differentiation is based on how dividing cells alter their phenotypic or functional type. During cell differentiation, the changes may include cell shape, cell size, membrane potential, metabolic activities, and responsiveness to signals. Each specialized cell type in an organism expresses a subset of all the genes that constitute the genome of that species. Each cell type is defined by its particular pattern of regulated gene expression.