Apoptotic DNA fragmentation

Apoptotic DNA fragmentation is a key feature of apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death. Apoptosis is characterized by the activation of endogenous endonucleases, particularly the caspase-3 activated DNase (CAD), with subsequent cleavage of nuclear DNA into internucleosomal fragments of roughly 180 base pairs (bp) and multiples thereof (360, 540 etc.).