Essays on Apoptosis
Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms. It has been studied extensively since its discovery in the 1970s and is used as an important method of regulation within the body. Apoptosis is necessary for normal development, tissue homeostasis and various other physiological processes. Furthermore, it plays an essential role in cancer prevention by eliminating damaged or mutated cells before they can become tumors. The mechanisms behind apoptosis are complex, but essentially involve a cascade of biochemical reactions that lead to the destruction of cellular components and ultimately the death of the cell itself.Broadly speaking, there are two main types of apoptosis: extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. The former is initiated by external signals such as cytokines or growth factors from other cells while the latter is triggered internally by changes in gene expression due to DNA damage or hormones such as glucocorticoids. In either case, these triggers activate specific proteins known as caspases which then initiate a series of events leading to eventual cell death. Some key steps include phospholipid scrambling on the plasma membrane leading to increased permeability, nuclear fragmentation due to chromatin condensation, breakdown of organelles like mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), activation enzymes that degrade cytoplasmic components such as actin filaments and finally DNA cleavage resulting in complete dissolution into small fragments called apoptotic bodies which are eventually phagocytosed by neighboring cells or macrophages if present locally. In addition to its importance during regular physiological processes, understanding how apoptosis works can be beneficial when treating diseases like cancer where it’s used as part of radiation therapy or chemotherapy regimens for tumor suppression through targeted elimination of malignant cells without damaging healthy ones nearby. On top this research is being conducted into more advanced treatments involving manipulation of apoptotic pathways with drugs designed specifically for this purpose (e.g., BCL-2 inhibitors). As our knowledge about this area continues improving there’s no doubt we’ll be able to find even more effective ways for controlling abnormal cell behavior thus helping us tackle some major medical challenges facing humanity today.
Alcohol abuse specifically heavy drinking is a risk factor for many diseases and health problems. As a result, alcohol consumption has become one of the main contributors of the worldwide burden of disease. One of the major diseases caused by heavy and frequent alcohol consumption is liver cirrhosis. Liver is one of the largest and […]
HIV is a renowned lentivirus that leads to HIV infection and subsequently AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). AIDS is a state in human beings in which the immune system’s progressive failure permits cancers and other opportunistic infections, which are equally life-threatening, to thrive. There are two types of HIV; HIV-2 and HIV- 1. HIV-1 is the […]
Electric and magnetic fields are invisible components of radiation produced by the movement of electrons or current through a conductor. An electric field results from a voltage which serves as a force to push electrons through the conductor. The increase in voltage leads to increase in the electric field. On the other hand, a magnetic […]
Introduction Cancer is defined by various scholars as a combination of diseases that cause abnormal growth of cells with the ability to affect other parts of the body. Magnetic fields refer to the effect created by a combination of electric and magnetic energies characterized by magnitude and direction. Research has shown that these magnetic fields […]
When DNA is damaged, cells are equipped with mechanisms to repair the DNA. However, when these repair mechanisms fail to function, cells resort to independent stress-response mechanisms like apoptosis and cellular senescence. During apoptotic events, damaged cells are permanently removed. However, when cells undergo senescence, damaged cells are taken out of the cell cycle and […]
The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and James H. Quillen VA Medical Center (ETSU/VA IRB, Johnson City, Tennessee State). All the individuals participated in the projects were adults and willingly agreed to sign the informed consent forms. There were two populations participated in […]
Microcephaly in newborns is a condition associated with Zika virus (ZIKV), and is vertically transmitted from the infected mother. ZIKV disables the immune system of the fetus and then progressively acts to shut down neural cell proliferation, inducing microcephaly. Proliferation is interrupted via gene regulation, mitosis inhibition, and promotion of apoptosis pathways of neural progenitor […]
Peripheral immune cells including macrophages, neutrophils and T cells can initiate the inflammatory responses after SCI and finally can be higher level within few days. Macrophages and neutrophils can cause the growth of lesion and lead to damage tissue. By releasing cytokines (TNF, IL-1, IL-6, IL-10), macrophages and microglia can involve in the inflammatory reaction […]
Peripheral immune cells including macrophages, neutrophils and T cells can initiate the inflammatory response after SCI and finally can be higher level within few days. Macrophages and neutrophils can cause the growth of lesion and lead to damage tissue. By releasing cytokines (TNF, IL-1, IL-6, IL-10), macrophages and microglia can involve in the inflammatory reaction […]
