In times of nutrient stress, the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum develops one of two cell types: pre-stalk and pre-spore. Scientists studying this development discovered that the pH of individual cells regulates the type of cell that is formed. Which of the following claims could scientists make about how environmental cues affect the gene expression of Dictyostelium discoideum?

A) A response to nutrient deprivation leads to a change in pH that causes mutation in the cells, forming the different cell types.
B) A response to nutrient deprivation leads to a change in pH that disrupts the cells, forcing them to develop into certain cell types.
C) A response to environmental stress leads to a change in pH that triggers transcription factors to differentiate the cell type that will be formed.
D) A response to environmental stress leads to a change in pH and a decrease in transcription factors that differentiate the cell type that will be formed.