Apoptosis

Question 1

What is apoptosis?

Answer 1

• is the process of programmed cell death
• when cells in a multicellular organism deliberately destroy themselves

Question 2

How does apoptosis work?

Answer 2

• cytoskeleton is hydrolyzed by enzymes
• cell membrane forms blebs (small balges)
• cell breaks up into membrane bound fragments
• which are removed by phagocytosis

Question 3

how is apoptosis regulated?

Answer 3

• Homeobox genes control the rate of mitosis by apoptosis in different tissues
• controls the development of body plans
• DNA replication error
• cells will trigger apoptosis to prevent mutations spreading
  e.g. cause cancer
• starvation -> break down muscles for respiration

Question 4

what are the uses of apoptosis?

Answer 4

• removing unnecessarily body structures
  e.g. separating webbed fingers (embroys) removing tadpoles tails
• removing old cells
• rate of mitosis = rate of apoptosis
• apoptosis and mitosis are essential in the development of body plans

Question 5

where is apoptosis and mitosis essential for?

Answer 5

• apoptosis and mitosis are essential in the development of body plans