Re: If an organism dies, then how long do its' cells stay alive, if they do?

Hi Dixie,
        A cell can die in two ways:  programmed cell death (also called 
apoptosis) and necrosis.  Programmed cell death (PCD) is an active 
process, meaning the cell invests energy in committing suicide.  
PCD can take about 12-18 hours depending on the cell type.  PCD is 
a normal process for some cell types and is important in maintaining 
a healthy organism.
   Necrosis is a more passive process which results from physical 
damage or toxic conditions.  When an organism is injured, cells 
undergo necrosis.  When an organism dies, its cells will undergo 
necrosis.  Necrosis involves a cascade of cellular damage that leads 
to the death of the cell.  The process of necrosis is damaging not 
only to the cell, but also to the organism.  Essentially the cell 
explodes and all cellular contents spill out into the extracellular 
space.  This can cause damage to neighboring cells, speeding up 
the destruction of the organism.
   The answer to your question of how long a cell will survive once the 
organism dies depends on the cell type and the conditions of the 
organism.  If the organism is kept in a very cold environment (like -120C), 
some cells can survive for months or years.  If it is left in the 
hot sun, the cells will perish in a matter of hours.  The cold slows 
down the breakdown of cellular components, whereas the sun (or 
heat) speeds it up.  Ultimately, though, once the cell has begun to 
undergo necrosis, it will die.