It has long been known that many cell types are dependent on specific cytokines that signal proliferation, regulate differentiation and suppress apoptosis. A detailed picture of the structure of several cytokine receptors has added to our understanding of the molecular mechanism of receptor activation. An explosion of knowledge of apoptosis pathways and the ways in which the Bcl-2 family of proteins function has deepened the understanding of the effector arm of the programmed cell death pathway. The challenge is to uncover the molecular links between these two pathways. In this article, we will try to examine what is known of the intersections between cytokine signalling pathways and apoptosis pathways, with particular reference to receptor signalling by the haematopoietic cytokines Interleukin-3 (IL-3) and Granulocyte-Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF).