Final answer:
Davis, Weintraub, and Lasser identified genes involved in muscle differentiation likely by studying genes uniquely expressed in muscle cells, illustrating how differential gene expression, regulated by transcription factors, defines cellular functionality and specialization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The researchers Davis, Weintraub, and Lasser were able to identify genes involved in muscle differentiation by adopting a strategy similar to option C. They likely cloned and studied genes that were uniquely expressed in muscle cell lines to determine their influence on the differentiation process. This experimental approach is congruent with our understanding of cellular differentiation, in which different cell types in a multicellular eukaryotic organism do not differ by the genes they contain but by which genes are expressed. This expression is critical, as differential gene expression results in the production of different sets of gene products during differentiation, leading to cells with distinct morphology and physiological characteristics.
This process of expressing specific genes is orchestrated by various transcription factors, which bind to DNA and modulate the transcription of genes. This mechanism of gene regulation enables stem cells to differentiate into specialized cell types, a foundational concept in developmental biology and the study of evolution and specialization of muscle cells. Once differentiated, these cells exhibit the specific structures and functions that typify muscle tissue.