Activation of caspases by death receptors.
Caspases form a family of cysteine proteases which are implicated in multiple forms of apoptosis. Their role has been intensively studied during apoptosis triggered by death receptors, but their exact biological functions and mechanisms of activation remain unclear. Here, we summarize the knowledge about the signal transduction pathways of death receptors leading to the activation of caspases as the key effector components of apoptotic cell death.
Bantel
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical Clinics, Eberhard-Karls-University, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, D-72076 T ubingen, Germany.
Brüning
T
T
Schulze-Osthoff
K
K
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008954:Models, Biological; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
D008024:Ligands; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D020169:Caspases