What did H. Robert Horvitz discover about the ced-3 and ced-4 genes?

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H. Robert Horvitz discovered that the ced-3 and ced-4 genes are "death genes" that participate in the process of programmed cell death, or apoptosis.1

Working with the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, Horvitz identified these genes in 1986 as essential components of the genetic program that controls the elimination of cells during development. His research further revealed that these genes are not unique to worms; he established that humans possess a counterpart to the ced-3 gene, and scientists subsequently found that most genes regulating programmed cell death in C. elegans have human counterparts. This discovery was fundamental to understanding how tissue and organ development are regulated, providing critical insights for developmental biology and medical research, particularly in the field of cancer treatment.1