By
MELS SLUYSER

2005

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, plays an essential natural physiological role in removing cells that are superfluous, diseased, or otherwise have served their useful purpose. During apoptosis (a term derived from the Greek word for the falling of leaves from trees in autumn) living cells go through a predictable, well-choreographed series of events in which they are broken down by enzymes internally and then fall apart.