The human body is made up of thousands of cells, each with a defined genetic program that allows them to work synchronically to regulate the metabolic and physiological processes required by the organism. All cells die (not accidentally), because in old age or because they are
Cell death by apoptosis plays a crucial role in tissue development and homeostasis. This process is carried out through mitochondrial permeabilization and the activation of caspases. The condensation of chromatin and the fragmentation of DNA are key features of apoptotic cells, which are eventually eliminated by phagocytes. The deregulation of apoptosis can contribute to pathologies such as cancer or autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases.
Apoptosis is a type of …show more content…
The cells of the interdigital regions are also removed by apoptosis to give rise to the fingers. Sydney Brenner, John Sulston and Robert Horvitz received the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 2002 for their studies on the Caenorhabditis elegans worm, where they first identified a process of programmed cell death (apoptosis), essential for their development, by the that a defined number of cells produced initially in excess is eliminated. Through studies on mutants of these worms, the genes necessary for this process were identified and their homologs have been found in …show more content…
When the mechanisms that regulate apoptosis fail, both by excess and by defect, this balance is altered and diverse pathologies can originate. Resistance to apoptosis is one of the characteristics that contribute to the generation of a tumor and can also be the cause of some autoimmune diseases. In the opposite case, an excess of apoptosis could be related to neurodegenerative diseases.
One of the most important characteristics of apoptosis is the condensation of the nucleus and the fragmentation of DNA into fragments of 200bp (base pairs) or multiples of them ("DNA ladder"). In addition, many cellular proteins undergo a break or proteolysis, usually catalyzed by proteins with enzymatic activity called caspases. All caspases (cysteine proteases) have a cysteine in their active center and produce protein cuts, just behind the amino acid Asp. When the apoptosis process starts, caspases are activated, proteins are cut and finally
Cell death by apoptosis plays a crucial role in tissue development and homeostasis. This process is carried out through mitochondrial permeabilization and the activation of caspases. The condensation of chromatin and the fragmentation of DNA are key features of apoptotic cells, which are eventually eliminated by phagocytes. The deregulation of apoptosis can contribute to pathologies such as cancer or autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases.
Apoptosis is a type of …show more content…
The cells of the interdigital regions are also removed by apoptosis to give rise to the fingers. Sydney Brenner, John Sulston and Robert Horvitz received the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 2002 for their studies on the Caenorhabditis elegans worm, where they first identified a process of programmed cell death (apoptosis), essential for their development, by the that a defined number of cells produced initially in excess is eliminated. Through studies on mutants of these worms, the genes necessary for this process were identified and their homologs have been found in …show more content…
When the mechanisms that regulate apoptosis fail, both by excess and by defect, this balance is altered and diverse pathologies can originate. Resistance to apoptosis is one of the characteristics that contribute to the generation of a tumor and can also be the cause of some autoimmune diseases. In the opposite case, an excess of apoptosis could be related to neurodegenerative diseases.
One of the most important characteristics of apoptosis is the condensation of the nucleus and the fragmentation of DNA into fragments of 200bp (base pairs) or multiples of them ("DNA ladder"). In addition, many cellular proteins undergo a break or proteolysis, usually catalyzed by proteins with enzymatic activity called caspases. All caspases (cysteine proteases) have a cysteine in their active center and produce protein cuts, just behind the amino acid Asp. When the apoptosis process starts, caspases are activated, proteins are cut and finally