cell cycle Flashcards
apoptosis: explain the difference between necrosis and apoptosis, recall cellular mechanisms which execute the apoptotic response, and recall how the Bcl-2 family proteins can modulate apoptosis
5 reasons for apoptosis (programmed cell death)
harmful cells, developmentally defective cells, excess/unnecessary cells, obsolete cells, exploitation
technique for labelling apoptotic cells, and how does it work
tunel technique, as it labels fragments of DNA (nucleus in yellow)
define necrosis
unregulated cell death association with trauma, cellular disruption and an inflammatory response
define apoptosis
regulated cell death; controlled disassembly of cellular contents without disruption (no inflammatory response)
stages of necrosis
plasma mebrane becomes permeable -> cell swelling and rupture of cellular membranes -> release of proteases leading to autodigestion and dissolution of cell -> localised inflammation as phagocytic cells clear up debris (healthy cells either side divide to fill gap)
2 phases of apoptosis
latent and execution
what happens in latent apoptosis
death pathways activated, but cells appear morphologically the same
7 stages of execution phase
loss of microvilli and intercellular junctions -> cell shrinkage -> loss of plasma membrane asymmetry (phosphatidylserine lipid appears in outer leaflet, as imbalance in lipid composition) -> chromatin and nuclear condensation -> DNA fragmentation -> formation of membrane blebs -> fragmentation into membrane-enclosed apoptotic bodies -> apoptotic bodies phagocytosed by neighbouring cells and macrophages
what happens during apoptosis to ensure no inflammation
plasma membrane remains intact
DNA modification in apoptosis
DNA fragments, leading to more “ends” which are labelled by adding an extra fluorescently-tagged base
4 types of cell death (graded response)
necrosis, apoptosis, apoptosis-like PCD, necrosis-like PCD
what is apoptosis-like programmed cell death
some (but not all) features of apoptosis, with a display of phagocytic recognition molecules before plasma membrane lysis
what is necrosis-like programmed cell death
variable features of apoptosis before cell lysis (aborted apoptosis)
4 mechanisms of apoptotic cell death
executioners -> initiating death programme -> Bcl-2 family -> stopping death programme
what executes apoptotic cell death
caspases
what 2 things initiate death programme
death receptors, mitochondria
what are caspases (full name)
cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases
what are caspases activated by
proteolysis (synthesised in cell as zymogens, but activated by cleavage)
2 types of caspases
initiator (8, 9), effector (3, 7, 6, 2, 1)
what prodomains are present in caspases 2 and 9
CARD (caspase recruitment domain); also p20, p10
what prodomains are present in caspases 10 and 8
DED (death effector domain); also p20, p10
how do caspases dimerise
homotypic protein-protein interactions (dimerise with same caspase), ensuring localisation
effector caspases
3, 6, 7 (just p20, p10)
caspase maturation pathway
procaspases (zymogens) -(proteolytic cleavage, releasing inactive prodomains)-> active enzyme
in the caspase maturation pathway, what is cleavage of inactive procaspase precursor followed by
folding of 2 large and 2 small chains to form an active L2S2 heterotetramer
3 functions of caspase cascades
amplification, divergent responses, regulation
function of initiator caspases (8, 9)
trigger apoptosis by cleaving and activating
function of effector caspases (3, 7, 6, 2, 1)
carry out apoptotic programme
function of caspase 10
regulator
2 things effector caspases do to execute apoptotic programme
cleave and inactivate proteins or complexes (e.g. nuclear laminins to cause nuclear breakdown), or activate enzymes
example of enzyme activated by effector caspases
protein kinases and nucleases, such as caspase activated DNase (CAD)