Which statement best describes the function of a totipotent cell?

• A. It can give rise to all cell types, including extraembryonic tissues, and can form an entire organism.
• B. It can differentiate into any adult body cell type but cannot form extraembryonic tissues.
• C. It is a fully differentiated cell that primarily functions to self-renew without differentiating.
• D. It can produce only a limited range of closely related cell types within one tissue lineage.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of totipotent cells. Totipotent cells have the ability to develop into any cell type in an organism, including both embryonic (all body cells) and extraembryonic tissues (such as the placenta).
2. Step 2: Compare totipotent cells with pluripotent cells. Pluripotent cells can differentiate into almost all cell types of the body but cannot form extraembryonic tissues, which is a key distinction from totipotent cells.
3. Step 3: Recognize that fully differentiated cells have lost the ability to differentiate into other cell types and mainly function to maintain their own population through self-renewal.
4. Step 4: Understand that multipotent cells can only differentiate into a limited range of cell types within a specific tissue lineage, unlike totipotent cells which have the broadest differentiation potential.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the statement best describing totipotent cells is that they can give rise to all cell types, including extraembryonic tissues, and can form an entire organism.