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Apoptosis and diseases: regulation and clinical relevance

Faris Q Alenzi1

  • 1Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Faisal University, PO Box 2114, Dammam 31451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. faris_alenzi@hotmail.com

Saudi Medical Journal
|November 29, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Apoptosis, programmed cell death, is key in diseases like neurodegeneration and cancer. Understanding its regulation offers potential therapeutic targets for various human conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Science
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pathophysiology

Background:

  • Apoptosis is crucial in maintaining tissue homeostasis.
  • Dysregulation of apoptosis contributes to major human diseases.
  • Altered cell death pathways are implicated in neurodegeneration and cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the regulatory mechanisms of apoptosis.
  • To discuss the clinical relevance of apoptosis in human diseases.
  • To highlight apoptosis as a potential therapeutic target.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of apoptosis.
  • Analysis of apoptosis in disease pathogenesis.
  • Synthesis of clinical implications.

Main Results:

  • Apoptosis is central to the pathogenesis of numerous human diseases.
  • Increased apoptosis causes cell loss in neurodegenerative disorders.
  • Defects in apoptosis lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation in cancer.

Conclusions:

  • Apoptosis plays a critical role in human health and disease.
  • Targeting apoptotic pathways presents a promising therapeutic strategy.
  • Further research into apoptosis mechanisms can yield novel treatments.

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