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Apoptosis

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.

Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology

Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology

Cirrhosis is a progressive chronic liver injury caused by prolonged inflammation, excessive fibrotic remodeling, and impaired regeneration. Over time, repeated hepatic insults disrupt the liver’s architecture and function, leading to reduced blood flow, impaired bile drainage, and diminished metabolic capacity.Pathophysiology of cirrhosisCirrhosis arises from three main responses to chronic liver damage: inflammation, immune activation, and hepatocyte death. These processes lead to structural...

Overview of Cell Death

Overview of Cell Death

Cell death is an essential process where the body gets rid of old or damaged cells. Cell proliferation and death need to be balanced, as an imbalance between the two may lead to cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...

Cirrhosis I: Introduction

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Cirrhosis is a chronic, irreversible liver disease characterized by the widespread replacement of healthy liver tissue with fibrotic scar tissue and the formation of regenerative nodules.Etiology of cirrhosisCirrhosis results from sustained liver injury that triggers progressive fibrosis and structural remodeling. The underlying causes are diverse, encompassing common and less frequent clinical conditions. Regardless of the origin, all causes lead to chronic inflammation, hepatocyte loss, and...

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Selective Harvesting of Marginating-hepatic Leukocytes

Selective Harvesting of Marginating-hepatic Leukocytes

Published on: July 21, 2016

Apoptosis in selected liver diseases.

Alp Kiliçarslan¹, Alişan Kahraman, Hikmet Akkiz

¹Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, Germany.

The Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology : the Official Journal of Turkish Society of Gastroenterology

|October 13, 2009

Summary

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is normally regulated but can become chaotic in liver disease, leading to injury and cirrhosis. Strategies to control apoptosis offer new therapeutic options for liver conditions.

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Area of Science:

Cellular Biology
Pathophysiology
Hepatology

Background:

Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is typically a regulated process crucial for development and tissue maintenance.
Under pathological conditions, such as liver injury, apoptosis can become dysregulated, occurring massively and non-selectively.
Dysregulated apoptosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of various acute and chronic liver diseases, potentially initiating cascades leading to inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide an overview of the role of apoptosis in significant liver diseases.
To highlight the dual role of apoptosis in normal physiology versus disease states.
To discuss the potential of modulating apoptosis as a therapeutic strategy for liver diseases.

Main Methods:

This is a review article, synthesizing existing knowledge on apoptosis in liver diseases.
Literature review focusing on the mechanisms of apoptosis and its involvement in liver pathophysiology.
Analysis of the implications of altered apoptosis in cancer development.

Main Results:

Apoptosis is a critical cellular process that, when dysregulated, contributes significantly to liver injury, inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis.
Defective apoptosis, coupled with increased cell proliferation, is a hallmark of cancer, with tumor cells often exhibiting alterations in apoptosis-regulating genes.
The study emphasizes the importance of understanding apoptosis in the context of liver disease progression.

Conclusions:

Modulating apoptosis, either by promoting or suppressing it, represents a promising therapeutic avenue for treating liver diseases.
Targeting apoptotic pathways offers a rational-based strategy for novel treatments in hepatology.
Further research into the intricate role of apoptosis in liver disease is warranted to develop effective therapies.