What term describes the development of patterns of differentiation in the cells of a multicellular organism?

The term that best describes the development of patterns of differentiation in the cells of a multicellular organism is "epigenesis." This concept refers to the process through which cells within an organism undergo changes in their development and specialization as they differentiate into various cell types, such as muscle, nerve, or epithelial cells.

Epigenesis emphasizes the dynamic nature of cell development where genetic information is expressed in specific ways, leading to the formation of distinct cell types based on their functions within the organism. This process is influenced by various factors, including external signals and the cellular environment, allowing multicellular organisms to develop complex structures and systems from a single fertilized egg.

In contrast, epigenetics refers to the study of changes that affect gene activity and expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence, while epigenetic inheritance involves the passing of these modifications to future generations. Epigenetic tags are specific chemical modifications to DNA or histone proteins that can influence gene expression, but they do not directly describe the broader concept of differentiation.