Differentiation and Development 1

The 4 stages of embryonic development

  1. Cleavage
    • Mitotic divisions
    • Each daughter cell has exact copy of genome but genes not expressed
  2. Patterning
    • Cells organised into layers and masses
    • Anterior/posterior, dorsal/ventral, left/right
    • Some cells on a specific path of development
  3. Differentiation
    • Structural and functional modification of a non specialised cell into a specialised cell
  4. Growth
    • After all the systems are formed, growth occurs - formation of new cells and more extracellular matrix

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