system
Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
Apoptosis is:
assistant
The correct answer is  Apoptosis: 
Regulated mechanism of cell death that serves to eliminate unwanted and irreparably damaged cells, with the least possible host reaction, characterized by enzymatic degradation of proteins and DNA, initiated by caspases; and by rapid recognition and removal of dead cells by phagocytes.
Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC. Robbins basic pathology. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2017. Page 41