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apoptosis |
Also found in: Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson | 0.02 sec. |
apoptosisor programmed cell deathMechanism that allows cells to self-destruct when stimulated by the appropriate trigger. It may be initiated when a cell is no longer needed, when a cell becomes a threat to the organism's health, or for other reasons. The aberrant inhibition or initiation of apoptosis contributes to many disease processes, including cancer. Though embryologists had long been familiar with the process of programmed cell death, not until 1972 was the mechanism's broader significance recognized. Apoptosis is distinguished from necrosis, a form of cell death that results from injury. apoptosis [‚ā·pō′tō·səs] (cell and molecular biology) Death of cells triggered by extracellular signals or genetically programmed events, carried out by processes within the cell, and characterized by systemic breakdown of cellular constituents, in particular chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid; may be involved in normal development and aging, or may serve to eliminate defective or damaged cells. Also known as programmed cell death. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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| p53 is activated in response to a variety of stress signals, dictating a variety of biochemical and biological outcomes, ranging from effective repair of minor damage to arresting cell cycle progression and induction of apoptotic cell death. Active caspase-9 was present in splenic lymphocytes with apoptotic features, suggesting a mitochondrial-mediated pathway of cell death, although evidence indicates that apoptotic cell death in patients with sepsis can also proceed by the death receptor pathway (4). In this review, we highlight the relationship between induced disturbances of calcium homeostasis, genomic damage, and apoptotic cell death caused by arsenic and its organic derivatives. |
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