[The role of apoptosis during craniofacial development: concepts and importance in pathology]

Apoptosis is an essential common final pathway in numerous pathological conditions such as malignant tumors, HIV-related CD4 lymphocytes degeneration, neurodegenerative disorders, and in programmed cell death events during normal embryogenesis. Some teratogenic substances for man and laboratory mammals induce an increase of the apoptotic phenomenon, responsible for the occurrence of some precise cranio-maxillo-facial malformations. The study of cell death during normal or teratogenic embryonic development allows to analyse the cellular mechanisms implied in the control of the apoptotic phenomenon, together with its dysregulation ending in pathological processes. We review the cell death phenomenon during cephalogenesis, both during normal embryogenesis, or in teratogenic conditions known to induce cranio-maxillo-facial malformations.