Which term refers to death of cells as they complete their life cycle?

Which term refers to death of cells as they complete their life cycle?

• A. Necrobiosis
• B. Necrosis
• C. Apoptosis
• D. Autolysis

Answer: (A)

The event described is programmed cell death, known as apoptosis. It is a controlled, energy-dependent process that lets cells die as part of normal development and tissue turnover. During apoptosis, cells shrink, chromatin condenses, and the cell breaks into small, membrane-bound fragments (apoptotic bodies) that are quickly cleared by surrounding cells, producing minimal inflammation. This aligns with cells dying as they complete their life cycle. Necrosis, by contrast, is an uncontrolled response to injury, where cells swell and burst, triggering inflammation. Autolysis refers to self-digestion of tissues after death, driven by enzymes released post-mortem. Necrobiosis is a degenerative process related to gradual cell death in certain conditions and is not the standard term for life-cycle cell death.

The event described is programmed cell death, known as apoptosis. It is a controlled, energy-dependent process that lets cells die as part of normal development and tissue turnover. During apoptosis, cells shrink, chromatin condenses, and the cell breaks into small, membrane-bound fragments (apoptotic bodies) that are quickly cleared by surrounding cells, producing minimal inflammation. This aligns with cells dying as they complete their life cycle.

Necrosis, by contrast, is an uncontrolled response to injury, where cells swell and burst, triggering inflammation. Autolysis refers to self-digestion of tissues after death, driven by enzymes released post-mortem. Necrobiosis is a degenerative process related to gradual cell death in certain conditions and is not the standard term for life-cycle cell death.