NEURONAL DEATH IN DEVELOPMENTAL MODELS - POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS IN NEUROPATHOLOGY

Extensive neuronal death occurs in the developing nervous system. Deat h of neurons during this process is apoptotic and appears to utilize a pathway that is conserved in various mammalian cells and organisms. R ecent evidence suggests that neuronal death during trauma, stroke, or neurodegenerative diseases may also occur by a similar mechanism. This review discusses the molecular mechanism of developmental neuronal de ath by examining the biochemical and molecular events associated with neuronal death after trophic factor withdrawal. The ability to inhibit neuronal death by manipulating the Bcl-2 or the ICE-family proteins d emonstrates the importance of these proteins in the neuronal apoptotic pathway. The utility of inhibiting neuronal death by blocking the apo ptotic pathway as therapy in neuropathological situations is discussed .