dedifferentiation

dedifferentiation
Loss of differentiated characteristics. In plants, most cells, including the highly differentiated haploid microspores (immature pollen cells) of angiosperms, can lose their differentiatiated features and give rise to a whole plant; in animals this is less certain, and there is still controversy as to whether the undifferentiated cells of the blastema that forms at the end of an amputated amphibian limb (for example) are derived by dedifferentiation, or by proliferation of uncommitted cells. Neither is it clear whether dedifferentiation in animal cells might just be the temporary loss of phenotypic characters, with retention of the determination to a particular cell type.

Dictionary of molecular biology. 2004.

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  • dedifferentiation — [dē dif΄ər en΄shē ā′shən] n. a reversal of cell development, esp. in plants, so that the differentiation that had occurred previously is lost and the cell becomes more generalized in structure …   English World dictionary

  • dedifferentiation — dediferenciacija statusas T sritis augalininkystė apibrėžtis Diferencijuotai ląstelei būdingų požymių netekimas. atitikmenys: angl. dedifferentiation rus. дедифференциация …   Žemės ūkio augalų selekcijos ir sėklininkystės terminų žodynas

  • dedifferentiation — noun Date: 1915 reversion of specialized structures (as cells) to a more generalized or primitive condition often as a preliminary to major physiological or structural change • dedifferentiate intransitive verb …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • dedifferentiation — n. [L. de, away from; differentia, difference] Loss of traits of specialized cells formed during the course of differentiation …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • dedifferentiation — /dee dif euh ren shee ay sheuhn/, n. Biol. a process by which structures or behaviors that were specialized for a specific function lose their specialization and become simplified or generalized. [1915 20; DE + DIFFERENTIATION] * * * …   Universalium

  • dedifferentiation — noun The loss or reversal of differentiation. See Also: dedifferentiate …   Wiktionary

  • dedifferentiation — 1. The return of parts to a more homogeneous state. 2. SYN: anaplasia. * * * de·dif·fer·en·ti·a·tion .ren chē ā shən n reversion of specialized structures (as cells) to a more generalized or primitive condition often as a preliminary to major… …   Medical dictionary

  • dedifferentiation — n. return of cells to a general or more primitive state (Biology) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • dedifferentiation — de·differentiation …   English syllables

  • dedifferentiation — de•dif•fer•en•ti•a•tion [[t]diˌdɪf əˌrɛn ʃiˈeɪ ʃən[/t]] n. Biol. dvl the loss of specialized form or condition previously acquired during development • Etymology: 1915–20 de dif•fer•en′ti•ate , v.i. at•ed, at•ing …   From formal English to slang

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