ABSTRACT
Cellular apoptosis, a basic form of programmed cell death, is critical for various physiological processes, including maintenance of homeostasis in multicellular organisms. Apoptosis plays causative or contributing roles in various human conditions. For instance, excessive accumulation of aberrant cells may cause tumors and autoimmune disorders. Conversely, abnormal cell death was associated with heart failure, stroke, AIDS, neurodegenerative diseases, and liver injury.1 Key players in the regulation of cellular apoptosis include death receptors and their ligands, transcriptional regulators (p53, IAP), Bcl-2 proteins, caspases, and endogenous caspase inhibitors.
