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Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c
Published on: June 29, 2011
The fundamental contribution of James Maxwell Ross Cormack (1909-1975) in suggesting the term "apoptosis"
Paola Saccheri1, Luciana Travan2
1Section of Anatomy and History of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Udine, P.le Kolbe 3, 33100, Udine, Italy.
Abstract:
This study highlights the historical contribution of Professor James Cormack by providing a Greek term that describes the process of programmed cell death. In 1972 the ancient Greek word "apoptosis" first appeared in the scientific literature. This short manuscript will examine the actual meaning of the term and its historical and phylological background. The word "apoptosis" contains a variety of semantic nuances that are perfectly suited to describe such a complex set of biological events as programmed cell death.
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