Final answer:
The term for development from the center of the body toward the outside is called proximodistal growth. It is important in early child development and ties into the broader processes of growth and differentiation where cells specialize and contribute to the body's functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for growth and development that moves from the center of the body toward the outside is called proximodistal growth. This pattern of growth starts at the central part of the body and moves towards the extremities.
In humans, this can be observed during early child development, where control of the head and trunk develops before the limbs, and fine motor skills develop from shoulder to wrist, then to hands and fingers.
Growth in humans involves an increase in body size through an increase in the number of cells, the amount of non-cellular material such as mineral deposits in bone, and a slight increase in the size of existing cells.
During development, differentiation takes place, which is the process by which unspecialized cells become specialized in structure and function to carry out different tasks within the body.