Have you had the chance to watch a tree grow over a span of several years? Did you notice that the tree grew thicker and taller? Deep in the roots of the tree and high in the growing shoots are meristem cells. Each year, the meristem cells help the tree continue to grow.

When the seed of a tree first starts to grow, what would happen if the cells did not differentiate?

The seed could form roots, but not leaves.

Other cells would differentiate.

The DNA would make new cells.

All of the cells would be identical.