Practice question

Apoptosis is an orderly, energy-dependent form of programmed cell death that eliminates cells without provoking inflammation. Characteristic morphological features include cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation (pyknosis), nuclear fragmentation (karyorrhexis), membrane blebbing and formation of apoptotic bodies that display phosphatidylserine as an “eat-me” signal for phagocytes. Rapid clearance of these bodies prevents release of intracellular contents and subsequent inflammation.