celltorn
Celltorn is a term used in speculative biology and science fiction to describe a hypothetical cellular state in which a cell rapidly fragments into multiple smaller units. In this context, fragmentation can occur after extreme mechanical, chemical, or environmental stress, and may involve partial retention of membrane-bound compartments and some cytoplasmic content within vesicle-like remnants. Celltorn is not an established biological process; it is not described in standard cell biology literature and is typically presented as a fictional or theoretical concept rather than a confirmed mechanism.
In proposed definitions, celltorn is distinguished from lysis by its abruptness and from programmed cell death
Usage and reception: The term appears mainly in speculative narratives or theoretical discussions about cellular resilience,