APOPTOSIS IN HEALTH AND DISEASE

Abstract

In multicellular orgamsms, homeostasis is maintained through a balance between cell proliferation and cell death. ' Physiologic cell death occurs primarily through an evolutionarily conserved from of cell suicide termed apoptosis. The decision of a cell to undergo apoptosis can be influenced by a wide variety of regulatory stimuli. Recent evidence suggests that alterations in cell survival contribute to the pathogenesiof a number of human diseases, including cancer, viral infections, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenera­ tive disorders, and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Treatments designed to specifically alter the apoptotic threshold may have the potential to change the natural progression of some of these diseases.