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How can a muscle cell and a nerve cell be so different if they both contain the exact same set of chromosomes?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
From my projects, (keep in mind I'm fresh out of high school Biology) it's because of cell differentiation! The body creates stem cells which are cells with nothing special about them. These cells then change into the type of cell they see that they need to be through differentiation.
(this may be the direct answer to the question but it doesn't hurt to know about stem cells)
Different types of cells build protein for specific subsets of the DNA. The muscle cells, for example, understand that they're muscle cells and the ribosomes make the protein needed to specifically make muscles. For example:
FF - muscle
Qq - nerve
YY - nerve
pp - muscle
ll - nerve
If a stem cell were to change to a nerve cell, it would code for I y and q. However, if they were muscle cells, the ribosomes would code for r and f.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoIt all starts back at the first cell, the zygote and involves what is called cell differentiation.
This process changes a cell's size, shape, membrane potential, metabolic activity, and responsiveness
to signals.
These changes are largely due to highly controlled modifications in gene expression. If you are interested in more information on this look at epigenetics.
With a few exceptions, cellular differentiation almost never involves a change in the DNA sequence. So different cells can look very different despite having the same genome.
A cell that can differentiate into all cell types of the adult organism is known as pluripotent (the zygote).
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoYes, however the expression pattens differ. So they have differnent genes "switched" on or off
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoYes.
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When the chromosomes make an exact copy of themselves what are they then called?
Newly Replicated Chromosomes {Pairs} are known as Daughter Chromosomes.
What percentage of DNA do you share with dogs?
Humans and dogs only share about 25% of the exact same DNA or genome sequence. They also have a different number of chromosomes. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes and dogs have 39 pairs.
What is the process called when an exact copy of the chromosomes is made?
Meiosis
Compare the numbers of chromosomes in different species?
The chromosome number is specific for each type of organism. The exact chromosome number must be maintained for the species to continue. This means that as cells reproduce, the new cells must have the same number of chromosomes as did the original cells
What is mirroring chromosomes?
Mirroring chromosomes are a genetic abnormality. This abnormality is caused by an exact duplication of a chromosome segment, including the centromere.
Which cells contain two sets of chromosomes?
A diploid cell is sometimes described as having two identical sets of chromosomes.This is because for each copy of a chromosome, such as chromosome 7, there is one other copy of the same chromosome.However, such a pair, known as homologous chromosomes, are not truly identical, as they do not have identical base sequences. At any given locus (point on the chromosome) there will be the same type of information, such as a gene, transcription factor, or repeating sequence. But the exact form (allele) will in many cases be different on the two homologous chromosomes.
What is the exact length of DNA in a human body?
Each pair of chromosomes has a different length, so that question can't be answered.
When the chromosomes make an exact copy of themselves what are they then called?
Newly Replicated Chromosomes {Pairs} are known as Daughter Chromosomes.
How many mitochondria are in an average human muscle contain?
Muscle contains around 750-1000 mitochondria per cell.
How many chromosomes does each new cell contain after mitosis if the original cell had 52 original cell chromosomes?
They would each have 52. When a cell divides through mitosis, it copies the original chromosomes, pulls them apart so that there is a copy of the same set of chromosomes on each side of the cell, then divides. The original set of chromosomes will always be the exact same set as the daughter cell's set of chromosomes (unless something went horribly wrong.) -if you are on a worksheet called "Section 1 Reinforcement - Cell Division and Mitosis" for number 8, I'm in the same situation...
What percentage of DNA do you share with dogs?
Humans and dogs only share about 25% of the exact same DNA or genome sequence. They also have a different number of chromosomes. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes and dogs have 39 pairs.
What is the difference between chromosomes and gametes?
The chromosomes in a gamete at the end of meiosis are haploid in number, 23 chromosomes in humans, 22 somatic chromosomes and 1 sex chromosome, either X or Y. Body cells have a diploid number of chromosomes, 46 chromosomes, 23 pair and 2 sex chromosomes included in that number.
When chromosomes make an exact copy of themselves?
Interphase :D
What is the process called when an exact copy of the chromosomes is made?
Meiosis
Compare the numbers of chromosomes in different species?
The chromosome number is specific for each type of organism. The exact chromosome number must be maintained for the species to continue. This means that as cells reproduce, the new cells must have the same number of chromosomes as did the original cells
What is mirroring chromosomes?
Mirroring chromosomes are a genetic abnormality. This abnormality is caused by an exact duplication of a chromosome segment, including the centromere.
How many musules are in he human body?
There is not an exact number because there are different opinions on what defines a muscle. The numbers vary from 650 to 850.
