It is common knowledge that algebra, including algebraic geometry, historically grew out of the study of algebraic equations with numerical coefficients. In much the same way, differential algebra sprang from the classical study of algebraic differential equations with coefficients that are meromorphic functions in a region of some complex space C^m. As a consequence, differential algebra bears a considerable resemblance to the elementary parts of algebraic geometry. Indeed, since an algebraic equation can be considered as a differential equation in which derivatives do not occur, it is possible to consider algebraic geometry as a special case of differential algebra.