Differentiation

The term differentiation means that original cells, whether or not postmitotic, can require other qualities than the original cell.

Having reached the 16-cell stage, some of the blastomeres end up in the centre of the morula These are fully surrounded by more peripheral cells.

The peripheral cells, with a differentiated outer cell membrane compared to the central cells, differentiate into trophoblast cells.

The central cells remain omnipotent for a while, they can differentiate into either trophoblast or embryoblast cells. The embryoblast cells develop into the actual embryo.