Instructive reconstruction: a new role for apoptosis in pattern formation. Instructive apoptotic patterning establishes de novo tissue generation via the apoptosis linked production of morphogenic signals.

Apoptosis is not only involved in patterning by removal of tissue (destructive apoptotic patterning), but it can also function in signalling the site of de novo tissue generation via morphogenic signals (instructive apoptotic patterning).