[Apoptosis and ischemic infarct]

Apoptosis and programmed cell death have attracted major scientific interest during the last few years. Apoptosis can be differentiated from necrosis by means of morphological, biochemical, molecular and pharmacological parameters. Several molecular pathways leading to apoptosis have been elucidated over the last few years. Apoptosis is not only important for physiological cell turnover, but also plays a role in many pathological processes. Recently, a number of laboratories have found evidence of apoptotic cell death in cerebral ischemia in animal models. Quantitatively, apoptosis seems to be important in the border zone of the infarction, the so-called penumbra. Since parts of the apoptotic cascade can be inhibited, pharmacological treatment seems feasible. The so-called caspase inhibitors are promising therapeutic agents for the treatment of acute stroke and may be administered with other neuroprotective medications in humans in the near future.