The process is characterized by an ATP depletion within the cell leading to impairment of ionic pumps, cell swelling, clearing of the cytosol, dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum and golgi apparatus, mitochondrial condensation, chromatin clumping, and cytoplasmic bleb formation.
[4] Oligonuclosomal DNA fragmentation is initiated by caspase-activated deoxyribonuclease following caspase-3 mediated cleavage of the enzyme’s inhibitor, ICAD.
[1] The primary determinant of cell death occurring via the oncotic or apoptotic pathway is cellular ATP levels.
[6] The lack of intracellular ATP results in a deactivation of sodium and potassium ATPase within the compromised cell membrane.
[7] As with apoptosis, oncosis has been shown to be genetically programmed and dependent on expression levels of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2) in HeLa cells.