How does the Cnidocyte of a Cnidarian Function? A cnidocyte, cnidoblast or nematocyte, is a type of venomous cell unique to the phylum Cnidaria (corals, sea anemones, hydrae, jellyfish, etc.).
Such cells are called stem cells. Stem cells are those undifferentiated cells which have the potential to become specialized to form a specific type of cell. For instance, mesenchymal stem cells are a type of stem cells which can differentiate into osteoblasts, chrondocytes, myocytes and adipocytes.
Plant roots start out with undifferentiated cells as the new plant is developing, and those cells grow and differentiate into more specialized cell types. The root, cut in a cross section, reveals several different specialized layers with different kinds of cells.