Eli5: How does a single cell multiply into exact copies of itself yet somehow knows to start building into different body parts? They are all in the same environment with the same DNA yet behave differently.

910 views

Eli5: How does a single cell multiply into exact copies of itself yet somehow knows to start building into different body parts? They are all in the same environment with the same DNA yet behave differently.

In: Biology

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Cells have information in their dna on how they should behave.

Depending on different triggers like environmental conditions, they can trigger different sequences of those instructions. When organism starts to develop, there are instructions on how cells should divide, like what becomes an arm, what becomes a leg based on how many divisions been done and from what point. Then they just follow these instructions.

There are cases where these instructions can fail, leading to bit missing, or it being in the wrong place.

We can actually monipulare these intructions, and have on things like fruit flies. Where you can make a limb grow to a different place.

You are viewing 1 out of 4 answers, click here to view all answers.