The effect of zinc ions on thymocyte apoptosis induced by disruption of microtubules in vitro

Abstract

Apoptosis is a type of programmed cell death, characterized by chromatin condensation associated with activation of an endogenous endonuclease and fragmentation of DNA into oligonucleosomal sized segments, which is considered to be the biochemical hallmark of apoptosis. In this study, it was shown that despite inhibition of DNA fragmentation by zinc ions, the early apoptotic morphological changes, induced by colchicine or nocodazole, take place in the nuclei of thymocytes.