programmed cell death

American

[proh-gramd sel deth] / ˈproʊˌgræmd ˈsɛl ˌdɛθ /

noun

Cell Biology. a process, the most common form of which is apoptosis, triggered by internal or external signals to undergo cell suicide. Abbreviation: PCD.

programmed cell death British

noun

another name for apoptosis

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

programmed cell death Scientific

/ prō′grămd′ /

See apoptosis

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When the job is done, these fibroblasts must be deactivated, or de-differentiated, to go back to their quiet state or undergo programmed cell death and be cleared.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2024

This new ability to trigger programmed cell death could open the door for improved cancer treatments.

From Science Daily • Oct. 23, 2023

Senescent cells resist apoptosis, or programmed cell death, and characteristically get big and flat, with enlarged nuclei.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 30, 2022

The cell can commit suicide, known as programmed cell death.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

After the NK cell detects an infected or tumor cell, it induces programmed cell death, or apoptosis.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023