Final answer:
Growth factors such as BMP, FGF, and Wnt signaling pathways play a crucial role in directing the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into various cell types during organogenesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
In vertebrates, the process of organogenesis involves the formation of the neural system. During this process, growth factors play an important role in signaling some cells at the edge of the ectoderm to become epidermis cells, while the remaining cells in the center form the neural plate.
If the signaling by growth factors is disrupted, the entire ectoderm would differentiate into neural tissue.
Examples of growth factors involved in the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into various cell types include BMP (bone morphogenetic protein), FGF (fibroblast growth factor), and Wnt (wingless-related integration site) signaling pathways.
These growth factors activate specific genes that control the development and differentiation of stem cells into nerve cells, heart cells, liver cells, and so on.