This indicates that there may exist a correlation between the quantity of ribosomal subunits and the capacity of the cell to elicit functional defence mechanisms and prevent cell death. It is possible that there is a feedback mechanism that controls this relationship: a healthy cell that contains an adequate number of ribosomes is able to respond more efficiently to stress stimuli to protect cell components from damage, including ribosomes themselves. Therefore, provided that the level of ribosomal RNA monitors cell fitness, its sudden reduction may act as one of the signals to initiate cell death mechanisms, including apoptosis.