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Difference between Necrosis and Apoptosis: A Comparison Table

Apoptosis vs Necrosis
(Similarities and Differences)

Apoptosis and Necrosis

Apoptosis and Necrosis are two types of cell death occur in organisms. The cells
undergo death when the cell death becomes necessary as a part of developmen
tal process or they fail to adapt to injuries. Both these types of cell deaths diffe
r in their initial cause and progression of the cell death pathway.

Apoptosis definition (programmed cell death): a physiological process by whi

ch unwanted or useless cells are eliminated during the development and other n
ormal biological processes. Often found during tissue homeostasis, embryogenesi
s, immunological reactions and development of nervous systems. During apoptot
ic cell death, the cells undergo some characteristic events such as chromatin co
ndensation, nuclear and cytoplasmic aggregation and partitions of cytoplasm an
d nucleus into membrane bound vesicles called apoptotic bodies containing ribo
somes and mitochondria. Apoptotic bodies are recognized and phagocytized by e
ither by macrophages or adjacent cells and thus no inflammatory response are e
licited during apoptotic cell death.

Necrosis definition: (accidental cell death) a pathological process occurs whe

n the cells are exposed to serious physical or chemical insults. Occur during pat
hological infections such as bacterial and fungal infections, hypothermia and hy
poxia conditions. The cell and cellular organelles swell and ruptures to release t
he entire cell content including lysosomal enzymes into the extracellular fluid.
Due to this, necrotic cell deaths are always associated with severe inflammatory
response in the surrounding tissues.

The current post describes the similarities and difference between apoptotic and
necrotic cell death with a comparison table.
Similarities between Apoptosis and Necrosis

Ø Both apoptosis and necrosis are cell death pathways in organisms

Ø Both are characterized by profound membrane dysfunctions

Ø Both are characterized by mitochondrial dysfunctions

Ø In both apoptosis and necrosis, the DNA get fragmented

Ø The remnants of both apoptotic and necrotic cell death are phagocytosed

Ø Apoptosis and necrosis occurs both in plants and animals (mechanism varies)

Ø Both apoptosis and necrosis are absent in prokaryotic cells

(image source cc wikipedia)

Difference between Apoptosis and Necrosis

Sl. No. Apoptosis Necrosis

1 Apoptosis is a ‘ Necrosis is a ‘pr

programmed’ cel emature’ cell de
l death ath

2 Apoptosis is a h Necrosis is an u
ighly regulated ti nregulated rando
mely event m event

3 Genetically Cont Not Genetically

rolled controlled

4 Apoptosis is a p Necrosis is not

re-planned cell d a pre-planned c
eath pathway ell death pathwa
y

5 Apoptotic cell de Necrotic cell dea

aths are natural/ ths are always p
normal athological (not
natural)

6 Apoptotic cell de Necrotic cell dea

ath usually do n th are not natur
ot require any tr als and always r
eatment equire proper tre
atment
7 Apoptotic cell de Necrotic cell dea
aths are usually ths are always d
beneficial to the etrimental to the
organisms organisms

8 Apoptotic cell de Necrotic cell dea

ath is initiated b th always occurs
y self-generated after signals fro
signals from insi m external agen
de or outside th ts such as fung
e cells al or bacterial to
xins

9 Shrinkage of cell Swelling of cells

s occurs during occurs during ne
apoptosis crosis

10 Membrane blebb No membrane bl

ing occurs durin ebbing but the
g apoptotic cell membrane get d
death isrupted during
necrotic cell dea
th

11 Chromatin cond No chromatin co

ensation is a hal ndensation occu
lmark of apoptos rs during necrosi
is s

12 Nucleus get frag Nucleus get diso

mented rganized

13 Apoptotic bodies No such necroti

are formed duri c bodies are for
ng apoptotic cell med during necr
death osis

14 Usually apoptoti Severe inflamma

c cell death is d tory symptoms a
evoid of any ph re evident in the
ysical symptoms neighboring cell
s after necrotic
cell death

15 No inflammation Cause severe in

occurs in the su flammation in th
rrounding tissue e surrounding tis
s sues

16 Cell undergoing Cells undergoing

apoptosis are ac necrosis do not
tively take part i take part in an
n cell death pat y events in the
hway death pathway

17 An active proces A passive proce

s hence require ss and do not r
energy from AT equire ATP
P molecules

18 Since it is an ac Since it is a pas

tive process, ap sive process, ne
 optosis does not crosis can also
occur at 4oC occur at 4oC

19 Phagocytosis of Phagocytosis of
the cell remnant the cell remnant
s are done by t s are always do
he adjacent cell ne by the macro
s or macrophag phages
es

20 The integrity of l The integrity of l

ysosomes are pr ysosomes are c
eserved in apopt ompromised duri
otic cell death ng necrotic cell
death, lysosome
leakage occurs

21 The integrity of The integrity of

mitochondria us mitochondria us
ually lost during ually maintained
the initial phase during the initial
s of apoptosis phases of necrot
ic cell death

22 Apoptosis is a C Necrosis is a C
aspase depende aspase indepen
nt cell death pat dent cell death
hway pathway

23 Activation and p No Caspase enz

articipation of m ymes are involv
any Cascase en ed in necrosis
zymes are invol
ved in apoptosis

24 Externalization o No such flipping

f phosphatidyl s of plasma memb
erine from inner rane occurs duri
to the outer leafl ng necrotic cell
et of plasma me death
mbrane occurs

25 DNA fragmentati DNA fragmentati

on is pre-lytic (b on is post lytic (
efore cell lysis) i after cell lysis) i
n apoptosis n necrosis

26 DNA is fragment DNA fragmentati

ed between nucl on is random an
eosomes and he d hence not lad
nce a ladder lik der but a smear
e pattern is form like pattern is f
ed after the aga ormed after agar
rose gel electrop ose gel electrop
horesis of total horesis of total
DNA extract DNA extract

27 Release of cytoc No such events

hrome C and AI are reported in
F from the mitoc necrosis
hondria to the c
 ytoplasm of cells
occurs

28 pH of the cells There is no cha

changes to acidi nge in the pH of
c during apoptos the cells during
is necrosis

29 Apoptosis ends i Necrosis ends in

n fragmentation total lysis of th
of cells into sma e cells
ller bodies (apop
totic bodies)

30 Usually apoptoti Usually a group

c cell death occ of cells undergo
urs in individual necrotic cell dea
cells th

(image source cc Wikipedia)

Related posts:

1. Cell Cycle Checkpoints in Regulation of Cell Division and Cancer

2. Classification of Chromosomes based on Position of Centromere and Le

ngth of Chromosomal Arms

3. Nucleosome Model of Chromosomes in Eukaryotes (Short Notes)

4. Karyotype and Idiogram: Definition and Importance of Karyotype Test (K

aryotyping) in Human

5. Folded Fibre Model of Chromosomes

6. Single Stranded DNA (ssDNA) vs Double Stranded DNA (dsDNA): Similar

ities and Differences

Next Read: Similarities and Difference between RNA and DNA- A Comparison Table »

ApoptosisCell Cycle CheckpointsCytologyLife Science NET Study MaterialsMolecular BiologyNecrosis

EBC:
View Comments (1)
sabina eshun says:

23/06/2019 at 4:18 PM

very self explanatory,good content

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