Apoptosis regulators are proteins that control the process of apoptosis, which is the programmed cell death essential for maintaining healthy tissue and eliminating damaged cells. These regulators can either promote or inhibit apoptosis, ensuring a balance between cell survival and death. Key families of apoptosis regulators include the Bcl-2 family, which consists of both pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic members, and the caspases, which are enzymes that execute the death program. Dysregulation of apoptosis regulators can lead to various diseases, including cancer, where cells evade death and proliferate uncontrollably. Understanding these regulators is crucial for developing targeted therapies that can restore normal apoptosis in diseased cells, potentially improving treatment outcomes for conditions like leukemia and other malignancies.