Apoptosis is a programmed, well controlled process of cell death in which a sequence of biochemical events leads to characteristic changes in cell morphology and eventually cell death. These changes include loss ofcell membrane asymmetry, cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, nuclear fragmentation, and chromatin condensation. During an organism"s life cycle, apoptosis plays a vital role in normal development and maintenance of tissue homeostasis by eliminating old, unnecessary, and unhealthy cells.
Dysregulation of apoptosis results in pathological conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, ischemic damage, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. The ability to modulate cell fate (life or death) is thus recognized as an immense therapeutic potential in drug discovery. Research continues to focus on the elucidation and analysis of signaling pathways that control apoptosis.
