| Abstrakt: |
Apoptosis is a regulated process of programmed cell death, and is one of many homeostatic mechanisms that regulate the physiology of and interactions between the body’s various cell populations. Under normal conditions, apoptosis controls the number and types of cells present in the human body. Unregulated apoptosis, however, promotes certain disease states, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDS. AIDS, in particular, appears to result from loss of healthy, uninfected lymphocytes, due to induced genetic changes that lead to increased cell death by apoptosis. Current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the process of apoptosis, with emphasis on the role of apoptosis in AIDS, is presented. |
