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What happens during apoptosis?
To kill itself, a cell first makes a deadly chemical cocktail. It then separates itself from its neighbours, and unleashes the poisons. These include a substance that chews up the DNA in the cell nucleus, and a 'glue' that binds the inside of the cell together. Within a few hours, the cell shrinks, breaks up and is engulfed by other cells.
A cancer cell (mauve) undergoing apoptosis.
Dr Andrejs Liepins/Science Photo Library