Question

station 3 – repair or apoptosis
once the cell cycle is stopped, the cell has two main options. if the dna damage is small, the cell can repair the dna and continue dividing.
if the damage is too severe, p53 can trigger apoptosis, which is programmed cell death. apoptosis protects the organism by removing dangerous cells.
questions:

1. when does a cell repair dna?
2. what is apoptosis?
3. why can apoptosis be helpful?

Explanation:

1. The answer is directly stated in the provided text about cell cycle responses to DNA damage.
2. The definition is explicitly given in the text description of apoptosis.
3. The beneficial function of apoptosis is outlined in the text as a protective mechanism for the organism.

Answer:

1. A cell repairs DNA when the cell cycle is stopped and the DNA damage is small, so it can continue dividing afterward.
2. Apoptosis is programmed cell death that can be triggered by p53 when cell DNA damage is too severe.
3. Apoptosis is helpful because it protects the organism by removing dangerous cells with severe, irreparable DNA damage.