What is apoptosis and how is it triggered by toxicants?
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a controlled process that eliminates damaged or harmful cells. Toxicants can trigger apoptosis through intrinsic or extrinsic pathways. The intrinsic pathway involves mitochondrial damage and the release of cytochrome c, leading to caspase activation. The extrinsic pathway is initiated by death receptors on the cell surface. Both pathways converge on effector caspases, leading to cell dismantling. Dysregulation of apoptosis can result in inappropriate cell survival or death, contributing to diseases like cancer.
