Practice question

Characteristic hallmark of a specified cell is its capacity to differentiate autonomously according to its biased fate when placed in neutral environment such as defined culture medium or permissive ectopic location lacking conflicting instructive cues. In such isolation, intrinsic transcriptional networks initiated by earlier induction sustain lineage-specific gene expression, producing appropriate cell types without further instruction. Naive uncommitted cells would remain undifferentiated under same conditions. However, specified cells are not yet determined; exposure to strong opposing signals within intact embryo can still redirect them toward alternative fates, revealing retained plasticity despite autonomous differentiation in isolation assays.