citotoxicitat
Citotoxicitat, also known as cytotoxicity in English, denotes the capacity of a substance, cell, or immune effector to kill or damage cells. It is a central concept in toxicology, pharmacology, and immunology. In chemical and drug contexts, cytotoxic agents cause cell death by mechanisms such as DNA damage, oxidative stress, disruption of membranes, or interference with essential metabolic processes. The resulting cell death can proceed via apoptosis, necrosis, or necroptosis, depending on the agent and cell type.
In immunology, cytotoxicity refers to the targeted killing of compromised or foreign cells by immune effectors,
Measurement of cytotoxicity is performed with in vitro assays that quantify loss of target viability or release
Applications and implications: Many anticancer therapies rely on inducing cytotoxicity in tumor cells, either directly through
Etymology: from Latin cytis, cell, and toxicus, poison. Note on terminology: “cell killing” is a common informal