Death in complex organisms...

[tonylang]

Question: Can death (predefined) be induced without damage? Can an otherwise healthy living subject be terminated in the empirically verifiable absence of physical "damage" contributable to the subject’s termination? Barring any limitations of technical proficiency or of equipment in analyzing and identifying the root cause of the subject’s death.

 

Axiom: There exists some absolute minimum number of cells (Qn: n->0) that may be terminated in any complex organism whereby such cells may be scientifically established to be the root and only cause of death of the subject organism with no premortem adverse effects to other cells in the subject.

 

Practical Test: Perform controlled experiments using approved subjects, i.e. fruit flies, to terminate the minimal number of cells per specimen to conclusively induce death of the test subject. Carefully repeat and document the number and location of target cells per subject for each scientifically substantiated successful sample. Repeatability per species is mandatory as the specifics may vary from species to species or subject to subject. In qualifying samples the cells that are the root cause of death must be gradually minimized and physically isolated. Cellular damage must be limited to only the target cells for a duration beginning at the time of the target cells death up to and including the time of confirmed subject death. In other words, for a successful trial no cells in the subject other than the target cells may be adversely physically affected premortem.

 

Insights are welcome!