A nerve cell and a muscle cell taken from the same individual would have two different sets of genes.

Question

Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)

Answer 1

False

Clarify Question

What is the key concept addressed by the question?
This question is about the content of the nuclear genome in specialized cells. 
What type of thinking is required?
You are asked to apply what you know about the nuclear genome to specific specialized cell types. 
• What key words does the question contain?
Nerve cell, specialized cell of the nervous system (e.g. neuron, glial cell) 
Muscle cell, specialized cell of muscle tissue (myocyte) 
Genes, functional unit of DNA 

Gather Content

What do you already know about the nuclear genome in body cells? How does it relate to the question?
Cells divide by mitosis to make all of the cells of the body, except gametes. The daughter cells produced by mitosis have identical nuclear genomes. 

Consider Possibilities


What other information is related to the question? Which information is most useful?
Nerve and muscle cells are body cells that are produced by mitosis from the earliest stages of development. They have different structures and functions because different genes are turned on and off in different cell types. 

Choose Answer

Given what you now know, what information and/or problem-solving approach is most likely to produce the correct answer?
Because nerve and muscle cells derive from mitosis, they have identical nuclear genomes. That means they have the same set of genes. 

Reflect on Process

Did your problem-solving process lead you to the correct answer? If not, where did the process break down or lead you astray? How can you revise your approach to produce a more desirable result?
If you got the correct answer, great job! If you got an incorrect answer, where did the process break down? Did you understand that body cells are produced by mitosis and, therefore, their genomes are identical? Were you able to apply that understanding to this specific example, despite the fact that nerve and muscle cells look and act differently?