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cell death

cell death

5 3.9
A natural process in which living cells die during growth or repair
  • noun
  • /sɛl dɛθ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : muerte celular
  • During the development of the embryo, controlled cell death helps shape the organs.
  • induce cell death
  • cell death (apoptosis)
  • programmed cell death

That's a cell death that occurs and requires protein synthesis.

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Examples

  • UCSF experiments challenge prevailing theory for the basis of cell death in the developing brain.

    Blog text (1)
  • OK, now I told you several times that proliferation is important and cell death is important too.

  • Of course, with the death of the body, there is cell death and the loss of much of the material.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • By the time medics got to her, the entire limb had suffered cell death.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • First, experimental conditions in which peroxynitrite causes cell death of human spermatozoa were established.

    Academic text (2018)
  • However, we must consider the possibility that resveratrol only delays gentamicin-induced hair cell death rather than preventing it.

    Academic text (2008)
  • When cells are injured, they respond by shutting down and arresting their cell cycle to avoid cell death and inflammation.

    Academic text (2016)
  • Together, the BH3 domain and caspase-cleavage sites provide a direct mechanistic link to apoptosis and cell death.

    Academic text (2018)
  • They saw that the TNF alpha was causing apoptosis or cell death of the endothelial cells.

  • The results also suggest that LED light-induced cell death may occur through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway under oxidative stress.

    Academic text (2014)

Synonyms

apoptosis
vscell death
  • Specialized
4 7.4

A controlled process in which a cell dies on purpose to remove damaged or extra cells

is a general degeneration process often part of development not only regulated removal
programmed cell death
vscell death
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A process where a cell kills itself to help the body stay healthy

is a general term covering both accidental degeneration and intentional elimination
necrobiosis
vscell death
  • Specialized
9.9

The normal death of old cells in body tissue that allows new cells to replace them

is the broader process of natural loss during growth across many tissues

Antonyms

577 3.0

To keep living in difficult conditions

137 1.4

An increase in size and parts of a living thing over time

Surface Forms

cell death singular
cell deaths plural

Morphology

cell + death

The meaning is directly compositional: combining 'cell' (a microscopic living unit) with 'death' (the end of life) yields the concept of cells dying. A B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer 'cell death' as the process of cells dying, although it is a technical biology term.

Etymology

The term cell death names a simple image: a single cell, a tiny living piece of the body, that stops working and 'dies'. Think of it like removing small bricks to shape a building; that's why the phrase means the process when cells break down as part of normal growth or disease.