part of cellular process phenotypic switching establishment or maintenance of cell type involved in phenotypic switching biological_process jl 2012-08-07T14:30:07Z GO:0044663 A cellular process of the specification, formation or maintenance of an alternative cell type, occurring as part of the process of phenotypic switching. Phenotypic switching begins with changes in cell morphology and altered gene expression patterns and ends when the morphology of a population of cells has reverted back to the default state, accompanied by altered expression patterns.