Apoptosis: a critical process in homeostasis
In order for a cellular environment to maintain homeostasis, there needs to be a balance between cell life and cell death. If cell death is occurring too often or not often enough, it can disrupt homeostasis and lead to a variety of diseases, including cancer.4
Programmed cell death occurs mainly as a result of apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis.5 Apoptosis, however, is the most common way the body eliminates damaged or unneeded cells without local inflammation from cell leakage.6,7
Apoptosis plays an important role throughout life, from embryonic development to adult tissue homeostasis.1 During embryonic development, neural apoptosis helps sculpt the brain.8 In adults, homeostasis maintains health by balancing cell death with cell proliferation.1
Cells that undergo apoptosis exhibit a characteristic pattern of morphologic changes, including cell shrinkage, condensation, fragmentation of the nucleus, and bubbling of the plasma membrane, known as “blebbing” (Image 1.1).7,9
Image 1.1. A closer look at a cell undergoing apoptosis.
The malfunction of apoptosis is a key hallmark of cancer and is critical for cancer development and tumor-cell survival. Such health implications underscore the potential of using therapeutic strategies to manipulate apoptosis.1,2