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It is not the number of cells,or the organization, per se', but rather the type of cell it is that would give it an identity. A liver cell for example can reproduce only clones of itself ad infinitum. It will never be, or produce more than a liver cell. This is true of most tissue cells in the body.

Stem cells are different but even most of them couldn't lay claim to an identity. Multipotent cells, for example, are stem cells but are very limited in the sorts of cells they can produce. Your bone marrow produces multipotent stem cells but they are only capable of differentiating into blood and bone marrow cells. Hardly worthy of an identity.

Pluripotent cells are capable of becoming any differentiated cell in the body. A nifty trick but still not warranting an identity as they simply become one of the multitude.

Totipotent cells, however, if left to their cycle are individuals worthy of an identity as their cycle is to grow and develop into an individual of the species. A zygote is a totipotent cell but it is also a human being and all human beings have an identity.

<blockquote data-quote="palerider" data-source="post: 136082" data-attributes="member: 176">It is not the number of cells,or the organization, per se&#039;,&nbsp; but rather the type of cell it is that would give it an identity.&nbsp; A liver cell for example can reproduce only clones of itself ad infinitum.&nbsp; It will never be, or produce more than a liver cell.&nbsp; This is true of most tissue cells in the body.Stem cells are different but even most of them couldn&#039;t lay claim to an identity.&nbsp; Multipotent cells, for example, are stem cells but are very limited in the sorts of cells they can produce.&nbsp; Your bone marrow produces multipotent stem cells but they are only capable of differentiating into blood and bone marrow cells.&nbsp; Hardly worthy of an identity.Pluripotent cells are capable of becoming any differentiated cell in the body.&nbsp; A nifty trick but still not warranting an identity as they simply become one of the multitude.Totipotent cells, however, if left to their cycle are individuals worthy of an identity as their cycle is to grow and develop into an individual of the species.&nbsp; A zygote is a totipotent cell but it is also a human being and all human beings have an identity.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="palerider, post: 136082, member: 176"] It is not the number of cells,or the organization, per se', but rather the type of cell it is that would give it an identity. A liver cell for example can reproduce only clones of itself ad infinitum. It will never be, or produce more than a liver cell. This is true of most tissue cells in the body. Stem cells are different but even most of them couldn't lay claim to an identity. Multipotent cells, for example, are stem cells but are very limited in the sorts of cells they can produce. Your bone marrow produces multipotent stem cells but they are only capable of differentiating into blood and bone marrow cells. Hardly worthy of an identity. Pluripotent cells are capable of becoming any differentiated cell in the body. A nifty trick but still not warranting an identity as they simply become one of the multitude. Totipotent cells, however, if left to their cycle are individuals worthy of an identity as their cycle is to grow and develop into an individual of the species. A zygote is a totipotent cell but it is also a human being and all human beings have an identity. [/QUOTE]

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