Apoptosis, the dermatologist, the venereologist and the patient

Apoptosis is the genetically mediated process whereby individual cells determine their deletion from normal and diseased tissues. Deregulation of apoptosis occurs to a greater or lesser extent in malignant tumours and in certain skin diseases, and also largely accounts for the progressive depletion of CD4⁺ lymphocytes in HIV infection. Greater understanding of apoptosis modulation by oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes such as c-myc. Fas, p53, bcl-2, and abl will facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies for cancer and other diseases.