Harald Wajant

2006

More than 15 years ago the isolation of monoclonal antibodies inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis) in lymphoblastic cells and fibroblasts by the groups of Peter Krammer (Heidelberg) and Minako Yonehara (Tokyo) opened the door to a new field of apoptosis research. The identification of Fas/ anti-APO-1 (CD95), a member of the TNF receptor superfamily, as the antigen recognized by the death-inducing antibodies and the growing overall interest in apoptosis encouraged a huge number of researchers to take a closer look at this molecule and its functions.