The primary difference between individual nucleated cells in a developing zygote is the ____.
A) genetic code of each cell
B) differential expression of housekeeping genes
C) differential expression of regulated genes
D) number of chromosomes present in the nucleus
E) presence or absence of gene regulatory sequences

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The primary difference between individual nucleated cells in a developing zygote is the differential expression of regulated genes. While all cells in an organism generally share the same genetic code and have the same number of chromosomes, what makes them develop into different cell types (e.g., muscle cells, nerve cells) is the specific genes that are turned on or off in each cell. This process is known as differential gene expression. Housekeeping genes are typically expressed in all cells to maintain basic cellular functions, and gene regulatory sequences are present in all cells to help control gene expression, but it is the specific regulation of certain genes that leads to the diversity of cell types.

The Primary Difference Between Individual Nucleated Cells in a Developing