functional

They documented consistent changes in the types of blood cells that are produced in response to the functional demands of each life stage:

"Research from our group and others has previously shown that quantitative and functional decline in thigh muscles is potentially associated with onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis," Dr. Akkaya said.

It further opens the door to developing functional tissues and organs and progress in the field of regenerative medicine, the researchers said.

"We show for the first time that empty cages are located closer to the cell membrane. This observation hints at a functional role for the empty cages found in neurons."

This variation in the plants' functional diversity would presumably also be reflected in their phylogenetic diversity, i.e. how closely they are related to one another.