| 释义 |
apoptosis, n.
Brit. |ˌapɒpˈtəʊsɪs|, U.S. |ˌæpəpˈtoʊsəs|
[‹ ancient Greek ἀπόπτωσις action of falling off or away > prefix + πτῶσις (see ptosis n.), after ἀποπίπτειν to fall off from, to fall off.
On the origin of sense 2 compare:
1972J. F. R. Kerr et al. in Brit. Jrnl. Cancer 26 241 (note) We are most grateful to Professor James Cormack of the Department of Greek, University of Aberdeen, for suggesting this term. The word ‘apoptosis’ (ἁπόπτωσισ) [sic] is used in Greek to describe the ‘dropping off’ or ‘falling off’ of petals from flowers, or leaves from trees. To show the derivation clearly, we proposed that the stress should be on the penultimate syllable, the second half of the word being pronounced like ‘ptosis’ (with the ‘p’ silent), which comes from the same root ‘to fall’, and is already used to describe drooping of the upper eyelid. On the pronunciation compare also:
1994Nature 28 Sept. 98/2 The ‘p’ in ptosis is silent, and on that basis students are commonly exhorted to pronounce apoptosis as apo'tosis... The silent ‘p’, however, appears neither correct nor attractive in words in which the Greek-derived ‘pt’ occurs in the middle of a composite word. ]
1. Med. A resolution, relaxation, or loosening of something. rare.
1749J. Barrow Dictionarium Medicum Universale sig. E3, Apoptosis, the same as Apolysis, which see. [Apolysis, a solution, or release, which is diversified according to the subject, as, the exclusion of the fœtus, of the secundines, or the solution of a disease.] 1820R. Hooper Lexicon-medicum (ed. 4) 71/1 Apoptosis, a prolapsus, or falling down of any part through relaxation. 1845R. Dunglison Med. Lexicon (ed. 5) 60/1 Apoptosis, a relaxation of bandages. 1904F. P. Foster Appletons' Med. Dict. 202/2 Apoptosis, a loosening (as of a crust, of a bandage, or of ligaments).
2. Biol. Death of individual cells, characterized by condensation and fragmentation of the nucleus and cytoplasm and usually followed by phagocytosis by other cells, typically occurring as a self-activated process involved in the regulation of cell numbers, as in normal development, and in the growth of tumours.
1972J. F. R. Kerr et al. in Brit. Jrnl. Cancer 26 239 (title) Apoptosis: a basic biological phenomenon. 1988Methods & Achievem. in Exper. Pathol. 13 18 Apoptosis involves condensation of the nuclear chromatin and cytoplasm, fragmentation of the nucleus, [etc.]. 1996B. Sterling Holy Fire 58 Mia's cells would be studied for cumulative replication errors. Precancerous and/or junk-burdened cells would be tagged with artificial antibodies and made the targets for programmed apoptosis. 1997J. Updike Toward End of Time 264 We're not just killing these cells, Ben—we're inducing them to kill themselves, by a process called apoptosis—that's a-p-o-tosis—which the developing fetus uses to destroy embryonic gills. 1999W. R. Clark Means to End ii. 33 In higher eukaryotes apoptosis is used largely in the process of shaping organs and tissues during embryonic development. 2004Time 22 Mar. 61/2 Scientists..were interested in prolonging fertility, but as experts in cell death, or apoptosis, they were looking for ways to keep the limited supply of eggs limping along longer.
Derivatives. apop'totic adj.
1972Lancet 11 Nov. 1011/1 Ultra-structural studies..have indicated the following sequence of changes: (ii) formation of *apoptotic bodies which involves nuclear and cytoplasmic condensation..; (ii) phagocytosis of the apoptotic bodies by histiocytes and by other cells. 1997Independent on Sunday 4 May (Review Suppl.) 54/1 Over the last few years it has become clear..that all our cells carry an apoptotic suicide package within them. 2002Carcinogenesis 23 2087/1 We studied their antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on colon cancer cells. |