Ischemia/reperfusion injury at the intersection with cell death

Since its description in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion a decade ago, the process of programmed cell death has been the subject of intense study by investigators in cardiology. Comparison with other systems has identified parallels as well as features that are unique to the heart. An understanding of the molecular events that transpire during ischemia should inform our analysis of the relevant pathways of cell death. The intersection of ischemic preconditioning and cell death can provide illumination to both signal transduction pathways.