Embryology Question

[DrShoshana]

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Okay, I posted this in the study Q&A a week ago and never got any response so if you could help me out that would be great!

Last year I was in an upper level biology class and we learned about totipotency vs. pluripotency. Is this the same thing as determinate cleavage vs. indeterminate cleavage? Two words for the same concept or is there a substantial difference

 

[axp107]

Well

the difference is...

totipotent can become a complete organism (example: zygote)

pluripotent can become everything EXCEPT a new organism

so in a sense, they both can differentiate into anything. Except, totipotent have more capabilities.