dedifferentiation

American  

[dee-dif-uh-ren-shee-ey-shuhn] / diˌdɪf əˌrɛn ʃiˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

Biology.

1. a process by which structures or behaviors that were specialized for a specific function lose their specialization and become simplified or generalized.

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dedifferentiation British  

/ diːˌdɪfəˌrɛnʃɪˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. the reversion of the cells of differentiated tissue to a less specialized form

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Etymology

Origin of dedifferentiation

First recorded in 1915–20; de- + differentiation ( def. )

Example Sentences

"There isn't a one-size-fits-all theory of age-related neural dedifferentiation," said Rugg, who is also the Distinguished Chair in Behavioral and Brain Sciences.

From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2024

This reduction in neural selectivity, or dedifferentiation, is linked to worsening memory performance.

From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2024

Pseudotemporal analysis revealed a novel pathway wherein pancreatic β-cells undergo dedifferentiation and subsequently differentiate into acinar-like cells.

From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2023

If a therapeutic agent can block dedifferentiation of cells, it may effectively get rid of cancer stem cell populations and prove to be a highly valuable adjunct to current therapies against glioblastoma. 1. T.

From Scientific American • Jan. 11, 2013

War, from this point of view, is a precondition for development along new lines of necessity, and the dedifferentiation is the first stage of a constructive process.

From Introduction to the Science of Sociology by Park, Robert Ezra