Publisher's Synopsis
Programmed cell death (PCD) is essential for the complete development at various stages in the life cycle of multicellular organisms. The equilibrium maintained by cell proliferation and PCD maintain the cell number in the system (homeostasis) by the removal of damaged or diseased cells and the subsequent addition of new cells. Formation of digits by massive cell death in the interdigital mesenchymal tissue (16), development of the brain where sizeable amount of the neurons that are initially formed undergo death in later stages during adult brain development (17), development of the reproductive organs etc are notable examples where cell death plays a prominent role in the development of the organism. Cell death also plays a central role in the negative selection or removal of self reactive of lymphocytes (18). Defects in cell death can result in cancer, autoimmune diseases and spreading of viral infections, while excessive cell death can result in neurodegenerative disorders, AIDS and ischemic diseases (19).
