Average size of clusters of cells that undergo apoptosis

Value 3.4 cells
Organism Fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster
Reference Milán M, Campuzano S, García-Bellido A. Developmental parameters of cell death in the wing disc of Drosophila. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1997 May 27 94(11):5691-6. p.5692 left column 3rd paragraph & p.5695 left column 2nd paragraphPubMed ID9159134
Comments p.5692 left column 3rd paragraph:"During early larval stages dead cells appear throughout the entire disc without any noticeable pattern and either as single cells or in compact clusters of cells (Fig. 1B). The average size of these clusters is 3.4 cells (n = 120 clusters of 2–10 cells). The density of dead cells within the clusters is very similar to that of the rest of epithelial cells, indicating that TUNEL [terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated UTP end labeling] identifies clusters of neighboring dead cells." P.5695 left column 2nd paragraph:"Apoptosis in the Wing Primordium: The pattern of appearance of apoptotic cells during normal development reveals certain regularities. Apoptotic cells occur as single cells or in clusters of neighboring cells with an average size of 3.4 cells, interestingly similar to that of clusters of cells synchronized in the same cell cycle stage (refs 16, 20). Clusters of apoptotic cells are also found in haltere and leg discs (unpublished results). Apoptotic cells remain in the epithelium for 2–4 h before being engulfed in place by hemolymph cells. Apoptosis in wild-type discs is a rather rare phenomenon during both larval and pupal development (1.4% of the anlage cells BNID 112078). At early larval stages apoptotic cells appear throughout the primordium but are topologically localized in characteristic regions at late stages (late larva and pupa). There is no cell death after 24 h APF [after puparium formation] at the end of the proliferative period of the wing primordium (ref 20)."
Entered by Uri M
ID 112079