Content Category 2C: Processes of cell division, differentiation, and specialization

The ability of organisms to reproduce their own kind is the characteristic that best distinguishes living things. In sexually reproducing organisms, the continuity of life is based on the processes of cell division and meiosis. 

The process of cell division is an integral part of the cell cycle. The progress of eukaryotic cells through the cell cycle is regulated by a complex molecular control system. Malfunctions in this system can result in unabated cellular division, and ultimately the development of cancer. 

In the embryonic development of multicellular organisms, a fertilized egg gives rise to cells that differentiate into many different types of cells, each with a different structure, corresponding function, and location within the organism. During development, spatial-temporal gradients in the interactions between gene expression and various stimuli result in the structural and functional divergence of cells into specialized structure, organs, and tissues. The interaction of stimuli and genes is also explained by the progression of stem cells to terminal cells. 

The content in this category covers the cell cycle; the causes, genetics, and basic properties of cancer; the processes of meiosis and gametogenesis; and the mechanisms governing cell specialization and differentiation.