Cell differentiation is the developmental process by which a less specialized cell acquires the distinct structure, gene-expression profile, and function of a particular cell type. Driven largely by selective transcriptional programs and epigenetic modifications rather than changes in DNA sequence, differentiation c…
Cell differentiation is the developmental process by which a less specialized cell acquires the distinct structure, gene-expression profile, and function of a particular cell type. Driven largely by selective transcriptional programs and epigenetic modifications rather than changes in DNA sequence, differentiation channels pluripotent and multipotent progenitors along defined lineages to generate the diverse cell types that compose tissues and organs. The process is governed by intrinsic transcription-factor networks and extrinsic signals from growth factors, morphogens, and the microenvironment, which together specify and stabilize cell fate while restricting alternative programs. Differentiation is fundamental to embryonic development and organogenesis and continues postnatally in tissue-specific stem-cell compartments that sustain renewal and repair, as in hematopoiesis. Its disruption underlies developmental disorders and contributes to cancer, where loss of differentiation (dedifferentiation) and the acquisition of stem-cell-like and epithelial-mesenchymal phenotypes are associated with progression. Controlled differentiation of stem cells is also central to regenerative medicine and disease modeling. The journal publishes peer-reviewed research in cell and molecular biology relevant to differentiation, including stem-cell differentiation factors and epigenetic regulation, transcription-factor and regulatory-element analyses, embryonic and hematopoietic development, tissue-engineering models, and the dysregulated differentiation programs observed in solid tumors and cancer stem-cell phenotypes.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 41 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Cell Differentiation, linking to each citing work.