--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At conception, we start as a single cell…" description: "\"“At conception, we start as a single cell that contains all the DNA needed to build our body. The plan for that entire body unfolds via the instruction..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/neil-shubin-14335_evolution_at-conception-we-start-as-a-single-cell_3064494.png" --- # At conception, we start as a single cell that contains all… ![“At conception, we start as a single cell that contains all the DNA needed to build our body. The plan for that entire body unfolds via the instructions contained in this single microscopic cell. To go from this generalized egg cell to a complete human, with trillions of specialized cells organized…” quote by Neil Shubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/neil-shubin-14335_evolution_at-conception-we-start-as-a-single-cell_3064494.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/neil-shubin-14335_evolution_at-conception-we-start-as-a-single-cell_3064494.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db1/neil-shubin-14335_evolution_at-conception-we-start-as-a-single-cell_3064494.png) > ““At conception, we start as a single cell that contains all the DNA needed to build our body. The plan for that entire body unfolds via the instructions contained in this single microscopic cell. To go from this generalized egg cell to a complete human, with trillions of specialized cells organized in just the right way, whole batteries of genes need to be turned on and off at just the right stages of development. Like a concerto composed of individual notes played by many instruments, our bodies are a composition of individual genes turning on and off inside each cell during our development.”” [Neil Shubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-shubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human development follows a precise genetic program, turning genes on and off like notes in a concerto to build complex bodies from a single cell. **In simple terms:** Our bodies are built by genes acting in a timed sequence. Key Takeaway Understand and respect the timing of genetic regulation. Themes biology development genetics complexity Mood wonder awe curiosity Type scientific educational When to use this quote - medical research - education - genetic counseling - bioengineering Key Concepts gene regulation developmental biology systems biology Questions to Reflect On - How does timing affect gene function? - What safeguards ensure proper development? A Different Perspective Genetic expression can be disrupted by mutations or environmental factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Batteries Genes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/batteries-genes-3449783/) [Cell Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cell-development-5155519/) [Cells Organized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cells-organized-3535700/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Individual Genes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-genes-4202484/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) [Single Cell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-cell-351784/) ## Related quotes > [“Whole batteries of genes are turned on and off during fly development, and this pattern of gene activity serves to demarcate the different regions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-shubin/whole-batteries-of-genes-are-turned-on-and-off-during-fly-development/) [Neil Shubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-shubin/) > [By separating the function of adaptation from the function of maintaining the integrity of individual genes, sex allows much greater diversity while still keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-lloyd/by-separating-the-function-of-adaptation-from-the-function-of/) [Seth Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-lloyd/) > [“Superimposed on the hierarchical framework of defined components of a cell there is another layer. 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Much smaller. Divide. Multiply. Add and subtract. Matter changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/we-all-come-into-existence-as-a-single-cell-smaller-than-a-speck-of/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [Something that had been a single cell, a cluster of cells, a little sac of tissue, a kind of worm, a potential fish with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/something-that-had-been-a-single-cell-a-cluster-of-cells-a-little-sac/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [If a single cell, under appropriate conditions, becomes a man in the space of a few years, there can surely be no difficulty in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/if-a-single-cell-under-appropriate-conditions-becomes-a-man-in-the/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [“The uniformity of the earth's life, more astonishing than its diversity, is accountable by the high probability that we derived, originally, from some single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/the-uniformity-of-the-earth-s-life-more-astonishing-than-its/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) ## More by Neil Shubin > [“... two little patches of tissue essentially control the development of the pattern of bones inside limbs. 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I rap when I'm broke. I rap when I'm bullshit in the street. I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [If the polymer chain assumes a helicoidal conformation in the crystalline state, and if it does not contain asymmetric carbon atoms, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-natta/if-the-polymer-chain-assumes-a-helicoidal-conformation-in-the/) [Giulio Natta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giulio-natta/) > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. The causes of youth violence are working parents who put their kids into daycare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delay/guns-have-little-or-nothing-to-do-with-juvenile-violence-the-causes/) [Tom DeLay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delay/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [The true nature of soul is right knowledge, right faith and right conduct. The soul, so long as it is subject to transmigration, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virchand-gandhi/the-true-nature-of-soul-is-right-knowledge-right-faith-and-right/) [Virchand Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virchand-gandhi/) > [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/) [Hideaki Sena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideaki-sena/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [The next evolution of content marketing is not more content; it's better distribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-penn/the-next-evolution-of-content-marketing-is-not-more-content-it-s/) [Chris Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-penn/) [Browse all 6,185 Evolution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“At conception, we start as a single cell that contains all the DNA needed to build our body. The plan for that entire body unfolds via the instructions contained in this single microscopic cell. 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