Cell death
Cell death
Cell death (pronunciation: /sɛl dɛθ/) is a biological process that results in the elimination of cells. It is a crucial part of the life cycle of multicellular organisms and plays a significant role in development, homeostasis, and disease.
Etymology
The term "cell death" is derived from the Latin words "cella" meaning a small room and "mors" meaning death. It was first used in the mid-19th century to describe the phenomenon of cells dying as a part of their natural life cycle.
Types of Cell Death
There are several types of cell death, including:
- Apoptosis: This is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms. It involves a series of biochemical events leading to a characteristic cell morphology and death.
- Necrosis: This is a form of traumatic cell death that results from acute cellular injury.
- Autophagy: This is a cellular process that involves the degradation of a cell's own components through the lysosomal machinery.
- Ferroptosis: This is a form of regulated cell death that is dependent on iron and characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxides.
Related Terms
- Cell Cycle: The series of events that take place in a cell leading to its division and duplication.
- Cell Proliferation: The process that results in an increase of the number of cells, and is defined by the balance between cell divisions and cell loss through cell death or differentiation.
- Cell Differentiation: The process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type.
- Cell Senescence: The phenomenon by which normal diploid cells cease to divide.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cell death
- Wikipedia's article - Cell death
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