what happens to dead cell

[danihel]

hi
I'd like to know what happens to dead cells, do they get dumped and washed away or their building-blocks get recycled somehow?

[Jillo725]

there is a process called apoptosis that when the cell is ready to die it starts packaging itsself into little bits called "blebs" the blebs are then "swallowed" by immune cells called phagocytes that break down the blebs into parts and reuse them.

Cells on the epithelium (outer most layer of skin or mucus membranes like your intestines) will usually just "fall" off instead of being "phagocytosized"

[danihel]

Thanks a lot for explanation
That means cell knows it's going to die before it's natural death occurs. What is the usual cause of death of a cell, does it get old by oxidating?

[Jillo725]

lots of things can trigger the cell to die such as

singles from inside the cell telling it that it's getting "old" (the telomeres of the cell can become too short for it to replicate)

also in the situation of an infection the cell has lots of mechanisms to trigger itsself to die so that it won't continue the infection.

[JackBean]

However, there is also necrosis, when the cell just disrupts uncotrolled and gets rid of it

[samastemarch]

Dead cell means, It's going to die before it's natural death occurs. Dead cell's process called apotheosis, When the cell is ready to die it starts packaging itself into little bits called blabs. In outer most layer of skin or mucus membranes, there is cells on the epithelium it will usually just fall off instead of being photosynthesized.

[canalon]

Dead cell means, It's going to die before it's natural death occurs. Dead cell's process called apotheosis, When the cell is ready to die it starts packaging itself into little bits called blabs. In outer most layer of skin or mucus membranes, there is cells on the epithelium it will usually just fall off instead of being photosynthesized.

A good example of why one should always take answers on the internet with a grain of salt...
Programmed cell death is Apoptosis, *not* apotheosis.
Epithelial cells do indeed fall off, but noe cell is ever photosynthesized. Photosynthesis is the production of organic molecules from CO2 and light, not any kind of degradative mechanism.

[nyawira]

alot of dead cells are also eliminated in mucous which in respiratory surfaces is moved out of the body by the movement of ciliated cells. However, in other areas like the GI tract and the urinogenital tracts the huge amounts of fluids found here just wash off/away the dead cells.