The role of the pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member bim in physiological cell death.

Apoptosis, an evolutionarily conserved process for killing unwanted cells in multicellular organisms, is essential for normal development, tissue homeostasis and as a defense against pathogens. The control of apoptosis is of considerable importance for clinical medicine, as its deregulation can lead to cancer, autoimmunity or degenerative diseases. We have disrupted the Bim gene in the mouse and demonstrated that it plays a major and non-redundant role in embryogenesis, in the control of hematopoietic cell death, and as a barrier against autoimmunity.