ABSTRACT
Cellular death Cellular death means the cessation of respiration (the utilization of oxygen) and the normal metabolic activity in the body tissues and cells. Cessation of respiration is soon followed by autolysis and decay, which, if it affects the whole body, is indisputable evidence of true death. The differences in cellular metabolism determine the rate at which cells die and this can be very variable – except, perhaps, in the synchronous death of all of the cells following, for example, a nearby nuclear explosion. Skin and bone will remain metabolically active and thus ‘alive’ for many hours and these cells can be successfully cultured days after somatic death. White blood cells are capable of movement for up to 12 hours after cardiac arrest – a fact that makes the concept of microscopic identification of a ‘vital reaction’ to injury of doubtful reliability. The cortical neuron, on the other hand, will die after only 3-7 minutes of complete oxygen deprivation. A body dies cell by cell and the complete process may take many hours.
