It is long believed that suicide is a preserve of organisms that have emotions or at least, self-consciousness. However, surprisingly, cells can commit suicide, too. Not only can they rid themselves, but they are also doing this for the sake of our bodies. 

 

This process of programmed death of a cell is called apoptosis. Apoptosis is when a cell decides to die and dissipates ATP until it dies. During this process, a gene produces proteins that cause the death of a cell. Unlike necrosis, homicide of a cell that is caused by a burst of a cell due to an osmotic shock, apoptosis makes the cell shrink and DNA inside the cell be cut systemically. Apoptosis is completed as fragmented cells are eaten by surrounding phagocytes. 

 

But why is this happening? From the perspective of the evolution theory, the cell should be putting the most into its life to survive, but rather, it voluntarily chooses to end its life. This is because the death of it can be beneficial to the body that it is composing. There are two ways that apoptosis is beneficial to the body. One of which is when it is needed during a developmental stage to get rid of unnecessary parts. For example, during the metamorphosis of a frog from a tadpole, a tail is lost as it only serves to expose the frog to higher risk. Another example can be when cells suicide to form a hand with five fingers in the developmental stage of humans. The other way is to protect the whole body when a cell is severely damaged, and there is a relatively high possibility of it turning into a cancer cell. When a gene starts to deform due to the cell’s exposure to radiation and chemicals, the cell decides to die before turning into a cancer cell. Not every cell can carry out apoptosis successfully, so that is why people are diagnosed with cancer. 

 

This correlation between apoptosis and cancer leads to the further investigation of scientists in the hope of a treatment for the deadly disease. When apoptosis occurs, among many proteins, p53 has the most important role out of all. p53 facilitates the cell to carry out apoptosis when the DNA of the cell is fatally impaired. When apoptosis of the cell is determined by p53, an enzyme called Caspase is activated, and a group of Capase starts to destroy the essential protein of mitochondria called NDUSF1 to cause death. Scientists intend to overcome diseases like cancer by intervening in the process of apoptosis to prevent cells from becoming cancer cells. 

 

 

Woks Cited

Wong, R.S. (2011). Apoptosis in cancer: from pathogenesis to treatment. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, [online] 30(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-9966-30-87.