Studies addressing programmed cellular death process as have increased since 1971, when their presence in non-germinatives mature cells were observed. Apoptosis is a normal vital process that always happens in organisms preserves homeostasis and allows cellular renovation, with proper morphologic characters. This article reviews the basic aspects about apoptosis that are interesting for surgeons read. Literature data regarding apoptosis are reviewed toward morphological aspects and their role in ontogenesis, homeostasis, pathogenesis, systemic inflammatory syndrome, abdominal sepsis and trauma. Changes in apoptosis rates in the embryo could cause congenital malformations. In adults, some diseases present increases (ex. miocardic ischemia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.) or decreases in apoptosis rates (ex. cancer, autoimmunity, etc.). With particular interest to the surgeon, the numeric increase in the neutrophills during systemic inflammatory response or trauma, occur due to inhibition of apoptosis in these cells. The neutrophil's programmed cellular death can be changed for several cellular process (ex: adhesion, transmigration, etc.), endogenous and exogenous substances (ex: cytokines and endotoxin), producing different apoptosis' rates, depending on the interaction of agents.The apoptosis' study permits its modulation and potential benefits.
Apoptosis; Neutrophils; Systemic response inflammatory syndrome