[Ice/ced-3 family gene and apoptosis].
Apoptosis is a process by which cells carry out their own execution by activating an orderly set of genetic and biochemical program. A genetic pathway of apoptosis has been identified in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The ced-3 gene is required for all programmed cell death in C. elegans. Mammalian homolog of ced-3 has been identified as Ice family which is newly identified cysteine protease. Overexpression of Ice/ced-3 family gene can induce apoptosis in a variety of mammalian cells, and inhibitors of Ice/ced-3 family effectively prevent apoptosis induced by a variety of stimulus. Several housekeeping genes have been shown to be targets of Ice/ced-3 family gene, indicating that activation of Ice/ced-3 can induce irreversible fatal changes of cells.
Miura
M
M
Department of Molecular Neurobiology, University of Tsukuba.
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans
D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases