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Not all cells are capable of dividing to make new cells. Cells start from a "parent" or stem cell, but then, under instructions from the rest of the body, they begin to specialize and mature. They may alter almost anything and everything about themselves to get ready to do a specific job or set of jobs. They may change shape, their nucleus may be discarded, they may attach to other cells or shed little pieces of themselves. They may make and secrete certain substances or make the substances and store them until they are to be used.
All of the mature blood cells come from one type of precursor, a stem cell.
RBC Photo: Copyright Dennis Kunkel, University of Hawaii
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