
Apoptosis ( “About Apoptosis” Apoptosis Interest Group, prefered pronunciation of National Institute of Health style="font-cariant:small-caps">accessed November 2009ăpˈə-tō'sĭsAmerican Heritage Dictionary Entry ˌæpəpˈtoʊsɨs,Webster.com dictionary entry, ăpˈəp-tō'sĭs, ) is the process of programmed cell death (PCD) that may occur in multicellular organisms. Programmed cell death involves a series of biochemical events leading to a characteristic cell morphology and death; in more specific terms, a series of biochemical events that lead to a variety of morphological changes, including blebbing, changes to the cell membrane such as loss of membrane asymmetry and attachment, cell shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation (1-4). (See also Apoptosis DNA fragmentation.) Processes of disposal of cellular debris whose results do not damage the organism differentiate apoptosis from necrosis.

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