Apoptosis: The Physiologic Pathway of Cell Death

Physiologic roles of apoptosis may be subverted in pathologic processes. Apoptotic control of lymphocyte overproduction, for example, protects against cancer and autoimmunity, but in a disease such as AIDS, helper T cells may be programmed for suicide rather than an immune response. Drugs could be designed to limit apoptosis in AIDS or myocardial infarction or to promote apoptosis of tumor cells.