LAUSR

Apoptotic cells can produce signals to instruct cells in their local environment, including factors that stimulate proliferation. This apoptosisinduced proliferation has been shown to play important roles in tissue regeneration, tumor growth and relapse. We recently identified a novel mode of communication by which apoptotic cells induce additional apoptosis in the same tissue. To investigate the role of apoptosisinduced apoptosis during development we studied the coordinated cell death that occurs in the adult wing of Drosophila. We observe a nonautonomous effect upon inhibition of apoptosis in the wing, suggesting there is a communication between dying cells to achieve synchronized cell death. Our results indicate there might be a wave of apoptosis traveling from the posterior compartment towards the anterior. Surprisingly, TNF and JNK pathways are not involved in this propagation of apoptosis, suggesting a different mechanism for apoptotic signaling in developmental and stress situations.