ABSTRACT
It is essential to note that the term apoptosis derives exclusively from a morphological definition that was developed to distinguish a clearly differentiated active cell death from passive necrotic death (Kerr et al., 1972). The term apoptosis was originally suggested by pathologists who used it to distinguish a unique form of cell death that was clearly different from classic necrotic cell death (for review, see Wyllie et al., 1980). Thus, the term apoptosis as originally conceived does not imply any of the biochemical or molecular phenomena that are integrally associated with the current definition.
