RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIFFERENTIATION AND TOTIPOTENCY
Though differentiated cells have distinct shapes, activities, and functions, these differences are apparently due to gene expression. There is no evidence that genes normally are lost during most developmental processes.

At least some nuclei from differentiated plant and animal cells are totipotent and contain all the genetic material present in the nucleus of a zygote. For example, a complete carrot plant can develop from differentiated somatic cells.

Geneticists cut carrot root tissues into discs made up of phloem cells, which are specialized for nutrient transport. When these differentiated cells were cultured in a liquid nutrient medium, individual cells divided to form clumps of undifferentiated cells known as embryoid bodies. The embryoid bodies, which closely resembled plant embryos in their early stages of development, then progressed to form embryonic shoots and roots. Transferring the embryonic tissue to a solid nutrient medium stimulated the tissues to form small plants, called plantlets, which then developed into mature plants.