Are your heart cells the same as your brain cells? Why or why not?

Question

A. No, heart cells are stem cells that replicated and create brain cells, therefore they are two different types of cells
B. Yes, the heart cells and the brain cells have the same function, therefore they are identical
C. Yes, during mitosis, the resulting daughter cells are identical which means that all cells in the body are the same
D. No, different sections of the cells' DNA are "tuned on" causing heart cells to have different characteristics from brain cells

Answer 1

The correct answer is D. No, different sections of the cells' DNA are "tuned on" causing heart cells to have different characteristics from brain cells.

Heart cells (cardiomyocytes) and brain cells (neurons) are indeed different types of cells with distinct structures and functions. While they come from the same basic genetic material, the expression of specific genes in each cell type leads to their specialized functions and characteristics. Cell differentiation results in diverse cell types in the body, each with unique roles.