Life, Death & Differentiation Flashcards
1
Q
What happens during apoptosis?
A
- Cells shrink
- Chromatin (DNA and protein) is degraded.
- Cells break into small, membrane-wrapped fragments
- Dying cells engulfed by phagocytic cells
- Inflammation is not induced.
2
Q
Why may apoptosis take place?
A
- Regulates cell number by balancing cell division.
- Developmental processes.
- Removal of pathogenic cells.
3
Q
Define differentiation.
A
The process in which a cell becomes specialised to perform a specific function.
4
Q
Define totipotency.
A
The ability of a single cell to give rise to ALL the cell types found in the complete organism.
5
Q
Define pluripotency.
A
The ability of a single cell to give rise to a sub-set of the cell types found in the complete organism.
6
Q
Define terminal differentiation.
A
Occurs in cells that are permanently committed to a specialised function.
7
Q
Define stem cells.
A
Stem cells are pluripotent cells that give rise at each cell division to several types of cell.
8
Q
Define apoptosis.
A
Cells choose to deliberately die. 💀
