Apoptosis & Autophagy & Cellular Aging

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to apoptosis, autophagy, and cellular aging.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death that eliminates unwanted cells from the body.

Autophagy

The process of degrading and recycling cellular components.

Cellular Aging

The gradual deterioration of cellular function and structural integrity over time.

Physiological Apoptosis

Apoptosis that occurs naturally to maintain healthy tissue function.

Pathological Apoptosis

Apoptosis resulting from disease conditions or damage.

Caspases

Proteases that play a key role in the execution phase of apoptosis.

Intrinsic Pathway

Apoptosis pathway activated by internal signals, involving mitochondria.

Extrinsic Pathway

Apoptosis pathway triggered by external signals from death receptors.

Pyknosis

Reduction of the nucleus to a small, condensed state during apoptosis.

Karyorrhexis

Fragmentation of the nucleus during the process of apoptosis.

Apoptotic Bodies

Membrane-bound fragments that result from apoptosis and are cleared by macrophages.

Neutrophil Death

Apoptosis of neutrophils that occurs after an inflammatory response.

Lymphocyte Death

Apoptosis of lymphocytes after an immune response.

Fas (CD95)

A death receptor that triggers apoptosis when activated.

Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor I

Receptor that, upon activation, initiates the apoptosis signaling cascade.

Bax and Bak

Pro-apoptotic proteins that promote apoptosis by facilitating the mitochondrial pathway.

Bcl-2

An anti-apoptotic protein that inhibits apoptosis by preventing mitochondrial release of cytochrome c.

Necrosis

Uncontrolled cell death that often results in inflammation and affects groups of cells.

Regulation of Apoptosis

The balance of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic signals that determine cell fate.

Cancers

Disorders characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and often reduced apoptosis.

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Disorders linked to increased apoptosis, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Aging

The progressive decline in physiological function and structural integrity.

Caloric Restriction

A dietary regimen that reduces calorie intake without malnutrition, linked to lifespan extension.

Telomeres

Protective regions at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division.

Telomerase

An enzyme that adds telomeric repeats to the ends of chromosomes, extending cell lifespan.

Werner Syndrome

A genetic disorder characterized by premature aging and defective DNA helicase.

AIDS

A viral infection that can increase apoptosis of immune cells such as lymphocytes.

Cytokine IL-1

A fever-inducing cytokine released during pyroptosis.

Necroptosis

A form of programmed cell death that shares features of both necrosis and apoptosis.

Autophagic Pathways

Cellular pathways involved in the degradation and recycling of cellular components.

Beclin-1

An autophagy gene often mutated or deleted in human tumors.

Atg genes

Genes associated with autophagy required for cellular component recycling.

Infectious Diseases

Diseases that can lead to increased apoptosis of infected cells.

Programmed Cell Death

A tightly regulated cellular process that leads to cell death in a controlled manner.

Executioner Caspases

Caspases that carry out the death program after receiving apoptotic signals.

Cell Swelling

A characteristic of necrosis as opposed to the shrinkage observed in apoptosis.

Inflammation in Necrosis

Necrosis leads to an inflammatory response, unlike apoptosis.

Genetic Activation of Apoptosis

Triggering apoptosis through the activation of specific genetic pathways.

Cell Division Limitations

Normal cells have a fixed number of divisions before senescence.

Immortal Cells

Cells that can divide indefinitely due to the presence of telomerase.

Thermogenesis

Process of heat production in organisms, sometimes involved in aging reflections.

Sirtuins

A family of proteins linked to longevity and the regulation of cellular metabolism.

Embryogenesis

The process of development during which apoptosis occurs for proper tissue formation.

Endometrium Menstruation

An example of physiological apoptosis occurring during the menstrual cycle.

Protective Mechanisms of Autophagy

Maintains cellular health by removing damaged organelles and proteins.

Excessive Cell Loss

An outcome of increased apoptosis leading to conditions like neurodegeneration.

Self-Reactive Lymphocytes

Lymphocytes that undergo apoptosis to prevent autoimmune reactions.

Inhibition of Apoptosis

Mechanism by which certain proteins or signals prevent programmed cell death.

Macrophages

Immune cells responsible for phagocytosis of apoptotic bodies.

Cancer Treatment and Apoptosis

Many cancer treatments aim to induce apoptosis in cancer cells.

Protein Kinases

These may be involved in signaling pathways that regulate apoptosis.

Cellular Proteases

Enzymes that break down proteins and are critical in the apoptosis mechanism.

Tissue Homeostasis

The balance of cell production and cell death to maintain tissue health.

Cellular Accumulation of Damage

Leads to increased apoptosis and cellular aging.

Viral Hepatitis

Infection that can cause increased apoptosis in liver cells.

Fas Ligand

A molecular signal that binds to Fas and promotes apoptosis.

TGF-beta

A cytokine involved in many cellular processes, including apoptosis regulation.

Caspase Activation Pathways

Pathways that signal the activation of caspases during apoptosis.

Cellular Morphology Changes

Alterations that occur in cells during apoptosis and necrosis.

Necrotic Cell Death

Death of cells typically associated with inflammation and damage.

Dysregulated Apoptosis

Imbalances in apoptosis that can lead to diseases like cancer.

Chronic Infections

Infections that can affect apoptosis and lead to disease progression.

Cancer Cell Survival Strategies

Mechanisms that allow cancer cells to evade apoptosis.

Lysosomal Function in Autophagy

Role of lysosomes in degrading cellular components during autophagy.

Embryonic Development

Period in which apoptosis is crucial for shaping tissues and organs.

Cellular Senescence

A state in which cells lose the ability to divide and function properly.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Can lead to increased apoptosis and is associated with many diseases.

Immunological Tolerance

Process by which the immune system does not attack self-antigens, involving apoptosis.

Genetic Disorders and Aging

Some genetic disorders impact mechanisms of aging at the cellular level.

Cytoskeleton Changes

Alterations that can occur in cells undergoing apoptosis.

Therapeutic Targets in Cancer

Identifying apoptotic pathways for potential cancer treatment methods.

Regulatory Proteins

Proteins that help maintain the balance of apoptosis promoting/inhibiting signals.

Tissue Maintenance

The role of apoptosis in removing damaged or unnecessary cells to sustain health.

Phagocytic Removal

The process by which macrophages clean up dead or dying cells throughout the body.

Caspase-Independent Pathways

Apoptotic pathways that do not rely on caspase activation.