Cell Differentiation
As companies grow, people and teams must specialize - this isn't optional, it's how complex systems organize themselves.
What makes a cell type is not which genes it has (all the same) but which genes are active (different subsets).
Here's something remarkable: every cell in your body has the same DNA. The same genetic code. The neurons in your brain, the muscle cells in your heart, the photoreceptors in your eyes - all have identical genomes.
So why are they different?
Because genes need to be *expressed* to do anything, and different cells express different genes. A neuron has genes for muscle proteins, but those genes are turned off. A muscle cell has genes for neurotransmitter receptors, but they're silent. What makes a cell type is not which genes it has (all the same) but which genes are active (different subsets).
This is *differentiation* - the process by which a generic stem cell becomes a specialized cell type.
Stem cells are undifferentiated. They're pluripotent (can become many cell types) or multipotent (can become several cell types). When a stem cell divides, one daughter cell often remains a stem cell while the other differentiates. This maintains the stem cell pool while also generating specialized cells as needed.
Differentiation happens in response to signals - chemical cues from neighboring cells, physical properties of the environment, position within the developing organism. These signals activate certain genes and silence others through epigenetic modifications (chemical tags on DNA that control gene expression without changing the DNA sequence itself).
Once a cell differentiates, it usually can't go back. A neuron can't become a liver cell. A muscle cell can't become a neuron. Differentiation is mostly one-way.
Business Application of Cell Differentiation
As companies grow, people and teams must specialize - this isn't optional, it's how complex systems organize themselves. But differentiation doesn't mean losing common identity. Spotify's squads all have the same organizational 'DNA' but express it differently based on function. The key is maintaining shared DNA while allowing functional specialization, and keeping some 'stem cells' who can become whatever's needed next.