APOPTOSIS

Student: Daniela-Constanta
GHICA
Teacher: Anca HERMENEAN

Master BioTe, First Year - 2018/2019

 INTRODUCTION

 Cell death by injury

-Mechanical damage
-Exposure to toxic chemicals

 Cell death by suicide

-Internal signals
-External signals
There are two ways that a cell can die: necrosis and apoptosis.
Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death, or “cellular suicide.” It is
different from necrosis, in which cells die due to injury.
 Apoptosis: Pathways

﹡ Apoptosis is an orderly process in which the cell’s contents are packaged

into small packets of membrane for “garbage collection” by immune cells.

﹡ Apoptosis removes cells during development, eliminates potentially

cancerous and virus-infected cells, and maintains balance in the body.

﹡ Apoptosis can be initiated through one of two pathways. In the intrinsic

pathway the cell kills itself because it senses cell stress, while in the
extrinsic pathway the cell kills itself because of signals from other cells.
 Apoptosis can eliminate infected or cancerous cells

When a cell’s DNA is damaged, it will typically

detect the damage and try to repair it.

If the damage is beyond repair, the cell will

normally send itself into apoptosis, ensuring that it
will not pass on its damaged DNA.

When cells have DNA damage but fail to undergo

apoptosis, they may be on the road to cancer.
APOPTOSIS: Role in Disease

TOO MUCH: Tissue atrophy

Neurodegeneration
Thin skin

TOO LITTLE: Hyperplasia

Cancer
Athersclerosis
Autoimmunity
 APOPTOSIS: Role in Disease
Neurodegeneration
Neurons are post-mitotic (cannot replace themselves)

Neuronal death caused by loss of proper connections,

loss of proper growth factors,
damage (especially oxidative damage)

Neuronal dysfunction or damage results in loss of synapses

(synaptosis - reversible)
(apoptosis - irreversible)

PARKINSON'S DISEASE
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
APOPTOSIS: Role in Disease
AGING

Aging --> both too much and too little apoptosis

(evidence for both)

Too much (accumulated oxidative damage)

---> tissue degeneration

Too little (defective sensors, signals)

---> dysfunctional cells accumulate
hyperplasia (precancerous lesions)

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 CONCLUSION

Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death, or “cellular suicide.”

Apoptosis is an orderly process in which the cell’s contents break down

and are packaged into small packets of membrane for “garbage
collection” by immune cells.

Apoptosis maintains the balance of cells in the human body and is

particularly important in the immune system.
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