Induction is the process by which two different sets of cells influence each other's cell differentiation, usually by secreting signaling molecules that can affect gene expression. This mechanism of cell differentiation combines both cell-autonomous development and cell-cell interactions. One group of cells influences the development of another group of cells (i.e., cell-cell interactions), but is does so by changing the genes expression that determines the differentiation of the target cell independent of other cells (i.e., cell-autonomous development).