sejtvéd

Sejtvéd is a term used in cellular biology, especially in Hungarian-language texts, to describe the set of mechanisms by which a cell defends itself against damage from environmental and internal stress. It encompasses processes that maintain cell integrity and viability in the face of stressors including oxidative stress, DNA damage, misfolded proteins, and infection, covering both autonomous defenses and protective interactions with neighboring cells.

Etymology and usage: The word is formed from sejtt (cell) and véd (protect) in Hungarian. In English-language literature, similar concepts are usually described as cellular defense, cytoprotection, or cell-protective responses. The term sejtvéd is not a formal scientific category on its own but a descriptive label used in some Hungarian sources.

Core mechanisms fall into cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous groups. Autonomic defenses include antioxidant systems such as glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase, DNA repair pathways, heat-shock proteins and chaperones, protein quality control, and activated unfolded protein response. Autophagy and mitophagy remove damaged organelles and proteins. Non-autonomous protection involves signaling to neighboring cells and engaging immune or tissue-level responses to limit damage spread, as well as secreted protective factors.

Sejtvéd-related concepts are central to studies on aging, cancer resistance, neurodegenerative diseases, and responses to stress in plants and microbes. In biotechnology and medicine, enhancing cellular protection is explored to improve cell therapies, increase tolerance to environmental stress, and mitigate tissue injury.

Because sejtvéd is not a standardized scientific category in English-language taxonomies, researchers typically specify the particular pathways or processes involved when describing sejtvéd-related findings. See also cytoprotection, oxidative stress response, autophagy, and DNA repair.