The life and death of the cells in our bodies are tightly regulated. This is essential for normal function and limiting damage. But cell death can have side effects, and if it malfunctions, our health is at stake.
Every day, more than 50 billionTrusted Source cells die in our bodies. These are not random events, but part of a finely tuned biological mechanism called programmed cell death.
Multicellular organisms, including humans, need to keep a tight lid on the number of cells in their bodies. This would be easy if the cells never divided, but some areas – such as the blood, skin, and lining of the gut – are constantly producing new cells.
Cell death stops excessive and damaged cells from accumulating. This balance, or homeostasis, is essential to maintain a healthy organism and to prevent disease. It is also a crucial mechanism of defense against pathogens, as cells that are infected with bacteria or viruses are removed this way.
Under normal circumstances, dying cells are recycled by the immune system. But unfortunately, programmed cell death is not a foolproof mechanism.
When things go wrong, it can have dire consequences. Cancer, autoimmune conditions, and neurodegeneration are all linked to failures of normal cell death and cell clearance.