Programmed cell death: alive and well in the new millennium

Research performed over the past decade has transformed apoptosis from a di stinctive form of cell death known only by its characteristic morphology an d genomic destruction to an increasingly well understood cellular disassemb ly pathway remarkable for its complex and multifaceted regulation. Here, we summarize current understanding of apoptotic events, note recent advances in this field and identify questions that might help guide research in the coming years.