Supplementary information

Supplementary information S1 (movie) | Time-lapse movie of human HeLa cells undergoing apoptosis.

HeLa cells were induced to undergo apoptosis by exposure to 10 M daunorubicin. Images were taken every minute over 12 hours and were animated at 10 frames/second. The first image represents healthy cells 2 h after treatment. By 4 h, one of the cells begins to round up and detach from the substratum, and this is followed 30 min later by retraction of the neighbouring cell. Dynamic plasma membrane blebbing is then evident in both cells and this continues for several hours. Later, membrane blebs become larger and more stable until, 8.5 hours after the cells were exposed to the pro-apoptotic drug, secondary necrosis begins. During secondary necrosis, cells cease to bleb and large balloon-like swellings can be seen as cells lose plasma membrane integrity and release their contents into the surroundings. Secondary necrosis is a highly undesirable endpoint and this is normally prevented in vivo through removal of apoptotic cells by phagocytes early in the process.

Supplementary information S1 (movie) | Time-lapse movie of human HeLa cells undergoing apoptosis. - Download Movie (4 MB)