4C - Apoptosis

What is apoptosis?

Regulated, programmed cell death that removes damaged or unnecessary cells

What triggers apoptosis?

Signals from inside the cell (mitochondrial pathway) or outside the cell (death receptor pathway)

What are caspases?

Proteins that act as enzymes to carry out the process of apoptosis

What is the first step in the process of apoptosis?

Activation of caspases

What happens to the cell during apoptosis?

The cell shrinks, its contents are digested, and it forms apoptotic bodies

What is necrosis?

Uncontrolled cell death due to injury or disease, leading to inflammation

What are benign tumors?

Slow-growing tumors that remain confined to a specific area

What characterizes malignant tumors?

Faster-growing tumors that can invade surrounding tissues and metastasize

What causes tumors to form?

Cells with DNA damage continue to replicate instead of undergoing apoptosis

What environmental factors can lead to DNA damage?

UV light, tobacco smoke, and certain chemicals

What is the significance of apoptosis in cancer?

Malfunctions in apoptosis can lead to uncontrolled cell growth and tumor formation

What is the role of macrophages after apoptosis?

They phagocytose the cell debris following the apoptotic process

What happens to the cytoskeleton during apoptosis?

It collapses, contributing to cell shrinkage

How often do cells undergo apoptosis in the human body?

Approximately 300 million cells die and are replaced every minute

What is the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis?

Apoptosis triggered by internal signals, often involving cytochrome C

What is the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis?

Apoptosis triggered by external death signaling molecules

What occurs after apoptosis is completed?

The cell debris is cleared away by immune cells

What is the relationship between apoptosis and cancer cell characteristics?

Cancer cells often evade apoptosis, leading to increased survival and proliferation

What is the final outcome of the apoptotic process?

The formation of apoptotic bodies that are eventually removed by phagocytosis