noun
- Plural of apoptosis; instances or processes of programmed cell death in which cells actively self-destruct in a controlled manner.
Usage: technical; biology
Examples
- Cancer cells often evade the apoptoses that would normally eliminate damaged tissue.
- During development, apoptoses help shape organs by removing excess cells.
- Researchers study apoptoses to understand how to trigger cell death in tumors.
- The immune system relies on apoptoses to remove infected or malfunctioning cells.
- Multiple apoptoses occur in the developing brain to refine neural connections.