Unraveling Apoptosis: Deciphering Molecular Mechanisms

Dear Colleagues,

Apoptosis is a regulated cell death process that is essential for proper development and regulation of tissue homeostasis in multicellular organisms. Deregulation of apoptosis has been associated with several diseases, including cancer, immunological disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes. In general, the initiation of apoptosis is closely associated with the activation of a class of enzymes known as caspases, and this process can be initiated primarily through two molecular pathways: the receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway and the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway. Although our understanding of the mechanisms controlling this programmed cell death has improved considerably over the last decade, in this issue on apoptosis, we would like to summarize the latest findings on the different modalities of programmed cell death, with particular attention to the molecular pathways involved, their effects on surrounding cells, and their involvement in the pathogenesis of various diseases, in order to provide a relevant theoretical basis for the link between the induction of apoptosis and the treatment of various disease.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Apoptosis;
• Pyroptosis;
• Necroptosis;
• Mitochondrial dysfunction;
• ER stress-mediated apoptosis;
• Molecular mechanisms;
• Degenerative diseases;
• Metabolic diseases;
• Tumors;
• Novel pharmacological strategies.

Dr. Gabriella Simbula
Guest Editor

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• apoptosis
• development
• microenvironment
• mitochondria dysfunction
• molecular mechanisms
• tumors
• degenerative diseases
• diabetes
• metabolic diseases
• neurodegenerative disease
• novel pharmacological strategies