Apoptosis and biochemical cascades

Apoptosis serves as a significant regulatory mechanism where the organism eliminates unwanted cells by the execution of death programs. Activation of apoptotic pathways begins with death-triggering signals that initiate cellular death mechanisms by interacting with death receptors. Some of the mechanisms that have been proposed include mitochondrial disturbances and the activation of caspases. Increasing literature now suggests that apoptotic mechanisms are important not only during development, but also during and after pathologic conditions. Intensive research programs are therefore focused on understanding apoptotic pathways and mechanisms for the future development of therapeutic interventions.