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Glite Dictionary
dedifferentiated

dedifferentiated

9.9
Cells that have lost their usual shape and work and act more like simple cells
  • adjective
  • /ˌdiːˌdɪfərənˈteɪtɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : dediferenciado
  • Our analysis supports this idea and confirms that dedifferentiated SCs are more closely related to ES cells than their developmental progenitors, the neural crest.
  • dedifferentiated SCs

Examples

  • In some cases, cancerous cells can become dedifferentiated, losing their specific signs and functions.

  • Here we developed a method to isolate pure populations of differentiated and dedifferentiated SCs from their in vivo nerve microenvironment, enabling us to define the molecular profile of both states.

    Academic text (2017)

  • Researchers found that the dedifferentiated cells shared characteristics with embryonic stem cells.

  • The team's study revealed that many cells could return to a dedifferentiated state, reminiscent of early developmental stages.

Synonyms

cataplastic
vsdedifferentiated
  • Specialized
9.9

Having cells that lose their normal shape and function

is broader meaning loss of specialized form or function in many contexts

Antonyms

differentiated
  • Specialized
7.4

A cell that has changed to do a specific job in the body

How Differentiated

specialized
  • US
70 5.4
dedifferentiated
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

dedifferentiated positive

Morphology

dedifferentiated = dedifferentiate (semi-transparent) = de + differentiate + ed

Forming the past participle/adjectival form by adding '-ed' to the verb 'dedifferentiate' is a regular and easily recognised process.

Etymology

Dedifferentiated begins with de- meaning 'remove' and the rest comes from differentiated, meaning 'made different or special'. So a dedifferentiated cell has had its special features 'removed' and becomes less specialized in shape or job.