Apoptosis

Question 1

What is apoptosis?

Answer 1

process of programmed cell death - when cells within a multicellular organism destroy themselves

Question 2

What is the process of apoptosis?

Answer 2

• cytoskeleton is hydrolysed by enzymes
• cell membrane loses its shape and forms blebs (small bulges)
• cell breaks up into mini cells - no longer functional
• which are removed by phagocytosis

Question 3

What are some of the processes where apoptosis is used?

Answer 3

homeobox genes control the rate of mitosis and apoptosis in different tissues

controls the development of body plans

DNA replication error - cells trigger apoptosis to prevent mutations spreading e.g. cancer

starvation - breaks down muscles for respiration

Question 4

What makes apoptosis important?

Answer 4

removing unneccessary body structures e.g. separating webbed fingers in embroyo

removing old cells
rate of mitosis = rate of apoptosis

apoptosis and mitosis are essential in development of body plans