• Question: what happens to cells when they die? do they get eaten, shrink or just dissappear?

    Asked by ninanoo to Dr D on 21 Jun 2013. This question was also asked by kabeer1, safa, ablek, thans017.
    • Photo: Andrew Devitt

      Andrew Devitt answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      @ninanoo
      @kabeer1
      @safa
      @ablek

      Great questions. Cells can die different ways. Stick them in water and they’ll pop. That’s called lysis but we also call it necrosis. The best way for a cell to die though, is for the cell to commit suicide. When it does this, it dismantles itself from the inside. Then as it does this, a nearby healthy cell comes along and eats it. A bit of cannibalism!

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