Directed Cell Differentiation | Process and Examples

Differentiation of Adipocytes

Cell differentiation is the process by which a less specialized cell changes which of its genes are switched on, guided by internal programs and by external chemical and physical signals, and becomes a more specialized cell type, such as a bone, heart or liver cell. There are several techniques that have been formulated to stimulate cell differentiation for therapeutic reasons.

One way is through directed differentiation, in which scientists expose stem cells in the laboratory to specific growth factors and other signaling molecules, in a set order, to activate the signaling pathways that guide the cells toward a chosen cell type.