Overturningceller

Overturningceller is a term used mainly in speculative biology and fictional contexts to describe a hypothetical class of cells that can invert their polarity or orientation in response to signals. In mainstream biology there is no established concept by this name, and its definition varies across sources.

Characteristics described include dynamic apical-basal polarity reversal in epithelial tissues, reversible differentiation programs, and changes in intracellular transport. Proposed mechanisms involve reorganization of the cytoskeleton and trafficking of polarity proteins such as the Par complex, Crumbs, and Scribble, accompanied by transcriptional reprogramming.

Research status: there are no verified in vivo examples; the notion appears mostly in theoretical models, speculative literature, or discussions within synthetic biology about programmable cell polarity. Some discussions treat overturningceller as a thought experiment to explore how highly plastic cells might contribute to tissue morphogenesis or adaptive responses.

Potential applications include dynamic tissue remodeling, adaptive biomaterials, and disease modeling, but achieving reliable control would require substantial advances and raises safety, regulatory, and ethical considerations. The concept remains primarily of interest to theorists and speculative biologists rather than an established area of experimental science.

Origin of the term: overturning refers to reversing orientation, and cell plural form "celler" appears in several Scandinavian languages, which has led to the combined term overturningceller in some discussions.