The differentiated stem cells

To become specialized cells, stem cells undergo a process called differentiation. While differentiating, the cell usually goes through several stages, becoming more specialized at each step of differentiation! During differentiation, cells may undergo major changes in their size, shape, metabolic activity & overall function! These changes are dependent on the stage of differentiation & what they differentiate into. So it can look very different from the stem cells it originated from! ⠀
⠀
Undifferentiated & differentiated cells have the same genome, but what makes the cells so different is the way their genes are regulated. Epigenetic mechanisms are essential for these regulations! You can read more about them in the papers as referenced😊

References

BC campus Open Education “3.6 Cellular differentiation” (8 Apr 2015)

Nature Education “Gene Expression Regulates Cell Differentiation” (2008)

“Epigenetic regulation of pluripotency and differentiation” Circ Res (7 Jul 2014)

“Epigenetic Regulation of Stem Cell Differentiation” Pediatric Research (Apr 2006)