cell death Any biological process that results in permanent cessation of all vital functions of a cell. A cell should be considered dead when any one of the following molecular or morphological criteria is met: (1) the cell has lost the integrity of its plasma membrane; (2) the cell, including its nucleus, has undergone complete fragmentation into discrete bodies (frequently referred to as "apoptotic bodies"); and/or (3) its corpse (or its fragments) have been engulfed by an adjacent cell in vivo. GO:0008219 accidental cell death biological_process necrosis death