Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology, Christa Lynn Gray, MD, is a former research associate at Genentech Inc. Christa Lynn gray is experienced in genetic engineering and has participated in various molecular biology research. She is also a co-author of several scientific papers, including “Apo-3, a new member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, contains a death domain and activates apoptosis and NF-kappa B.”
A tightly controlled cellular process, apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death, results in the death of a damaged or infected cell. Damaged cells are potentially dangerous to the body when they multiply because the newer cells derived from defective parent cells will also have the defect, potentially causing a significant impact on health. Apoptosis is necessary to maintain the proper function of certain body systems. For example, old worn-out cells in the lining of the digestive tract are frequently replaced by newer cells after the initial damaged cells shut down and disintegrate through apoptosis.
Apoptosis can be mediated by many pathways that can either begin outside or inside cells, referred to as extrinsic or intrinsic pathways, respectively. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor, a protein that is also known as a death receptor and is found in the cell membrane, is an example of an extrinsic mediator of apoptosis. It contains an 80 amino acid region called the death domain, which transmits death signals across the cell membrane. This activates a series of proteins inside the cell that in turn activate another protein called initiator caspase-8, which directly results in cell death.
A tightly controlled cellular process, apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death, results in the death of a damaged or infected cell. Damaged cells are potentially dangerous to the body when they multiply because the newer cells derived from defective parent cells will also have the defect, potentially causing a significant impact on health. Apoptosis is necessary to maintain the proper function of certain body systems. For example, old worn-out cells in the lining of the digestive tract are frequently replaced by newer cells after the initial damaged cells shut down and disintegrate through apoptosis.
Apoptosis can be mediated by many pathways that can either begin outside or inside cells, referred to as extrinsic or intrinsic pathways, respectively. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor, a protein that is also known as a death receptor and is found in the cell membrane, is an example of an extrinsic mediator of apoptosis. It contains an 80 amino acid region called the death domain, which transmits death signals across the cell membrane. This activates a series of proteins inside the cell that in turn activate another protein called initiator caspase-8, which directly results in cell death.
