Refer to the figure below showing the steps carried out in a laboratory using cells obtained from a mouse embryo. What statement is true based on the experiment depicted in the figure?
A) The processes involved in a developing multicellular organism are too complex to study in the lab.
B) External factors are unimportant in determining the path of specialization of cells in a developing embryo.
C) Specialization of each cell in a multicellular organism relies solely on which genetic factors are present in the cell.
D) A multicellular organism develops from a group of identical cells into nonidentical specialized cells that perform different functions.
E) Cells become specialized as a mouse embryo develops, but their specialized identities can be changed to different identities at times along the way.

Question

Refer to the figure below showing the steps carried out in a laboratory using cells obtained from a mouse embryo.  What statement is true based on the experiment depicted in the figure?
A) The processes involved in a developing multicellular organism are too complex to study in the lab. 
B) External factors are unimportant in determining the path of specialization of cells in a developing embryo. 
C) Specialization of each cell in a multicellular organism relies solely on which genetic factors are present in the cell. 
D) A multicellular organism develops from a group of identical cells into nonidentical specialized cells that perform different functions. 
E) Cells become specialized as a mouse embryo develops, but their specialized identities can be changed to different identities at times along the way.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The figure depicts the process of cells from a mouse embryo going through development into specialized cells that perform different functions. This supports option D, which states that a multicellular organism develops from a group of identical cells into non-identical specialized cells that perform different functions. Options A, B, and C are not supported by the experiment depicted in the figure. Option E is partially true, as cells can be reprogrammed to a certain extent, but the end result is still a specialized cell with a specific function.

Refer to the Figure Below Showing the Steps Carried Out