Apoptosis and Arterial Hypertension — Current Knowledge and Perspectives

Abstract

In the last few years apoptosis has become on of the most extensively studied topics in molecular biology. It is considered as programmed cell death process and several intrinsic and extrinsic factors emerge as potential candidates to trigger apoptosis. It has been demonstrated in various models of experimental hypertension that apoptosis occurs in cardiovascular system, being involved in heart and vessel was hypertrophy/hyperplasia or remodelling. However the role of this process is still not fully understood.