Abstract: The manner of cell death is a hotspot of medical researchers.Apoptosis and necrosis were considered as two manners of cell death in the past.But recently a new manner of cell death—oncosis is gradually accepted by the pathologists.Oncosis is different from apoptosis in morphologic,mechanism and the role in cardiovascular diseases.In this paper,the progression of the research about manner of the cardiomyocyte death and its signifi-cance in forensic medicine in recent years was reviewed.

Key words: apoptosis, oncosis, the manner of cardiomyocyte death, forensic medicine