What is Apoptosis and Necrosis ?

Apoptosis – What is it ?

• Form of cell death, also known as programmed cell death, in which a ‘suicide’ program is activated within the cell leading DNA fragmentation, cytoplasm shrinkage, membrane changes and cell death without lysis or damage to neighboring cells.   
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• It is a normal phenomenon of multicellular organisms.
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 Necrosis: What is it ?

• Necrosis is un-programmed cell death; it is less orderly than apoptosis. Injury, infection, cancer, infarction, and inflammation cause necrosis. 
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• Enzymes released from the lysosomes digest cellular components in an unorganized chain reaction.
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• Also harmful digestive enzymes released from cells damage neighboring cells.
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• Without apoptosis we would be at much greater risk of developing cancer, since apoptotic mechanisms destroy cells that have taken the first steps toward tumor formation.