Abstract

Apoptosis or programmed cell death is a normal component of the development and health of multicellular organisms. Homeostasis is maintained through a balance between cell proliferation and cell death. It is a process of controlled cellular death whereby the activation of specific death-signaling pathways leads to deletion of cells from tissue. The distinct morphological features of apoptosis are Cell shrinkage, Chromatin condensation, Membrane blebbing and formation of apoptotic bodies, which are phagocytosed by neighbouring macrophages without any inflammatory response. Derailment of apoptosis in regulation can lead to several diseases or ailments with either too much or too little apoptosis. Understanding the molecular mechanism of apoptosis including death genes, death signals, surface receptors and signal pathways will provide new insights in developing strategies to regulate cell survival/death. The current knowledge on the molecular events of apoptotic cell death and their significance in health and disease is reviewed.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Necrosis; Hemostasis; Caspases