Cell Death

Question 1

What are the two ways in which cells can die?

Answer 1

Necrosis and apoptosis

Question 2

Why do necrotic cells swell and burst?

Answer 2

Failure of action of the Na+/K+ ATPase pump

Question 3

What causes necrosis?

Answer 3

Physical disruption to the cell through injury, bacterial toxins or nutritional deprivation

Question 4

What happens during necrosis? (5)

Answer 4

1. Cell loses functional control
2. Osmotic pressure causes swelling in organelles
3. Chromatin clumps
4. Cell eventually bursts (lysis)
5. Cytotoxic cellular components spill out from membrane, inducing tissue damage and inflammation

Question 5

What is apoptosis?

Answer 5

Natural cell death