The document provides an overview of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. It describes the three main pathways that can trigger apoptosis: the extrinsic or death receptor pathway, the intrinsic or mitochondrial pathway, and the perforin/granzyme pathway. The pathways activate initiator caspases that go on to activate executioner caspases, leading to characteristic cell changes like nuclear fragmentation and membrane blebbing. Apoptotic cells are then phagocytosed to prevent inflammation.