Apoptosis in skeletal muscle

Apoptosis is a physiological, conserved program of cellular suicide, charac terized by nuclear condensation, DNA-fragmentation and release of mitochond rial cytochrom c into the cytoplasm. The apoptotic program is executed by a cascade of highly specific caspases. The occurrence and significance of ap optosis in multinucleated, differentiated cells, like skeletal muscle cells is discussed controversy in the current literature. In this review we will summarize the knowledge concerning the occurrence of apotosis in certain d iseases and the regulation of apoptosis in skeletal muscle.