What is the Difference Between Dedifferentiation and Redifferentiation

The main difference between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation is that dedifferentiation is the process of regaining the capacity to divide mitotically by differentiated cells in plants whereas redifferentiation is the event of losing the ability to divide by dedifferentiated cells. Furthermore, dedifferentiated tissue acts as meristematic tissue including interfascicular vascular cambium, cork cambium, and wound meristem while redifferentiated tissue serves as the functionally-specialized tissue.

Dedifferentiation and redifferentiation are two processes of altering the ability to divide by mitosis occasionally.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Dedifferentiation
     – Definition, Process, Importance
2. What is Redifferentiation
     – Definition, Process, Importance
3. What are the Similarities Between Dedifferentiation and Redifferentiaiton
     – Outline of Common Features
4. What is the Difference Between Dedifferentiation and Redifferentiation
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Dedifferentiation, Differentiated Cells, Meristematic Tissue, Redifferentiation, Specialization

What is Dedifferentiation

Dedifferentiation is the regaining of the capacity to divide by differentiated cells in a particular part of the plant body. It allows a part of the plant to produce new cells. Therefore, differentiated cells generally undergo dedifferentiation preliminary to major physiological or structural change. During dedifferentiation, functional forms of the cells revert to their early developmental stages. Hence, in plants, dedifferentiated cells serve as different forms of meristematic tissue including interfascicular vascular cambium, cork cambium, and wound meristem.

Figure 1: Regeneration in Hydra

Furthermore, dedifferentiation often occurs in the lower life forms including amphibians and worms during their regeneration processes.

What is Redifferentiation

Redifferentiation is the loss of the regained capacity to divide by differentiated cells. It allows differentiated cells to serve as functionally-specialized cells in the plant body. Generally, after preparing the plant body for physiological or structural change by dedifferentiation, the subjected differentiated cells revert to the redifferentiated form, performing a specific function. 

Figure 2: Vascular Cambium, Secondary Xylem, and Secondary Phloem

For example, the dedifferentiated vascular cambium redifferentiates into the secondary xylem and phloem after undergoing cell division. However, the cells in the secondary xylem and secondary phloem are incapable of further cell division and after maturation, these cells perform functions including conduction of food and water while providing structural integrity to the plant structure.

Similarities Between Dedifferentiation and Redifferentiaiton

• Dedifferentiation and redifferentiation are two mechanisms in which cells alter their capacity to divide.
• Differentiated cells undergo both processes.
• Also, both mechanisms play a key role in the development and while curing of injury.

Difference Between Dedifferentiation and Redifferentiation

Definition

Dedifferentiation refers to the process by which structures or behaviors specialized for a specific function lose their specialization and become simplified or generalized while redifferentiation refers to the process by which a group of once differentiated cells returns to their original specialized form. Thus, this is the main difference between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation.

Role

Moreover, dedifferentiated tissue acts as meristematic tissue including interfascicular vascular cambium, cork cambium, and wound meristem while redifferentiated tissue serves as the functionally-specialized tissue. Hence, this is another difference between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation.

Importance

Also, one other difference between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation is that dedifferentiation allows the plant body to produce new cells at a particular location while redifferentiation is important to perform a function specific to a particular part of the plant.

Examples

The formation of the interfascicular cambium and cork cambium from fully differentiated parenchyma cells is an example of dedifferentiation while the specialization of vascular cambium into secondary xylem and phloem is an example of redifferentiation.

Conclusion

Dedifferentiation is the process of regaining the capacity to divide mitotically by differentiated cells. Therefore, the dedifferentiated tissue serves as different meristematic tissue in the plant body. Thus, this process is important for the production of new cells at a particular location. In comparison, redifferentiation is the loosing of the regained capacity to divide by differentiated cells. It allows the functional specialization of these cells, giving them the ability to perform a unique function in the plant body. Therefore, the main difference between dedifferentiation and redifferentiation is the effect on the differentiated cells’ capacity to divide.

References:

1. “Differentiation, Dedifferentiation and Redifferentiation.” Biology Discussion, 16 Sept. 2016, Available Here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Regeneração em Hydra” By Luis Gustavo de Oliveira Paes Leme – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia  
2. “Tree secondary components diagram” By Brer Lappin – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia