Diseased animal cells may produce molecules that activate death cascades to kill the cells in a controlled manner. Why would neighboring healthy cells also die?

The death molecule is passed through desmosomes.

The death molecule is passed through plasmodesmata.

The death molecule disrupts the extracellular matrix.

The death molecule passes through gap junctions.

Option (4).

Explanation:

Cell communication involves various junctions like tight junctions and gap junctions. These junctions allows the communication of between cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix connection.

The diseased animal cells activate the death cascade that may also cause death of the neighbor cells. This occur because the death molecule may pass to the neighbor cells through the gap junctions.

Thus, the correct answer is option (4).