What causes cellular debris?

Cellular debris can arise from several ways. One way is because as cells naturally die, they can rupture during the process. This type of debris is typically not excessive. Another cause of cellular debris is contamination. If a sample gets contaminated with harmful chemicals or substances, it can damage the cells and lead to more debris. Contaminated samples are often irreversibly damaged. A third way arises from cell separation methods. The techniques used to separate cells can sometimes be too harsh, especially for delicate or rare cell types; this can damage cells and increase the amount of debris.