As far as the genetic content of each cell is concerned I have read to my satisf
ID: 35839 • Letter: A
Question
As far as the genetic content of each cell is concerned I have read to my satisfaction that all cells of a person's body except the red blood cells (with no nucleus and so no genetic message) and the gametes ( with just half the genetic copy or 23 of the 46 chromosomes) have the same DNA copy and so all the 60,000-80,000 estimated genes. The only difference is that which genes are active and which are dormant. For example the gene for insulin would be present in all cells but would be active and functional only in the cells of pancreas assigned the function of insulin production.
My question is:-
What is the factor or process or molecule or information that tells a cell or helps it to activate the genes necessary for its own growth and more importantly its designated function?
Explanation / Answer
Your question refers to differential gene expression and methods of Eukaryotic gene regulation. This is a very broad question for there are a lot of methods to control gene expression. They can function as transcription control, mRNA processing control, translational control, post-translational control and so on in eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, the methods include the operon model etc, which is much simpler than eukaryotes and multicellualr organisms but still quite complicated when studied in its entirety. Here and Here are few places where you can study differential gene expression. As an introductory text, chapter 19 of Life:The science of Biology by Purves, Sadava, Orions and Heller(the link is to a supplementary-material site and not to the book itself), Otherwise, to elucidate all mechanisms here would become too long and in any case uncomprehensive.
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