Biological Sciences Question:

The programmed death of a cell. This type of cell death
occurs by fragmentation of membranes that are then
eliminated.

Cellular suicide or programmed cell death. HIV may induce
apoptosis in both infected and uninfected immune system
cells. Normally when CD4 cells mature in the thymus gland,
a small proportion of these cells are unable to distinguish
self from nonself. Because these cells would otherwise
attack the body's own tissues, they receive a biochemical
signal from other cells that results in apoptosis