Figure 1.

The characteristic features of cellular dedifferentiation. Somatic cells (such as parenchyma, collenchyma, or mesophyll cells) can be reprogrammed following exposure to various internal or external signals resulting in dedifferentiation and acquisition of a transient, stem cell-like state. This transient state is accompanied by global chromatin decondensation – a hallmark of stem cells. Depending on the type of stimulus, dedifferentiated cells can be induced to trans-differentiate/re-differentiate, re-enter the cell cycle or undergo a programmed cell death.