Apoptosis
Definition
Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms. It plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses and maintaining cellular homeostasis.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
- Apoptosis is essential for removing infected or damaged cells without causing an inflammatory response.
- Caspases are the main enzymes involved in executing apoptosis by cleaving specific cellular proteins.
- The intrinsic pathway of apoptosis is regulated by mitochondrial signals, while the extrinsic pathway is triggered by death receptors on the cell surface.
- Failure in apoptotic processes can lead to autoimmune diseases or uncontrolled cell proliferation, resulting in cancer.
- During T-cell development, apoptosis helps eliminate self-reactive T cells to prevent autoimmunity.
Review Questions
- What are the main enzymes responsible for executing apoptosis?
- How does the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis differ from the extrinsic pathway?
- Why is apoptosis important in preventing autoimmune diseases?
"Apoptosis" appears in:
Subjects (6)
Related terms
Necrosis: A form of traumatic cell death that results from acute cellular injury and often leads to inflammation.
Caspases: A family of protease enzymes that play essential roles in programmed cell death (apoptosis) and inflammation.
Autoimmunity: A condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues.
