title: Signaling pathways and effector mechanisms pre-programmed cell death.
abstract: Apoptosis is a complex biochemical process that involves all aspects of the cell from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. Apoptosis stimuli are mediated by many different cellular processes including protein synthesis and degradation, the alteration in protein phosphorylation states, the activation of lipid second messenger systems, and disruption of normal mitochondrial function. Despite this diversity in signal transduction, all apoptotic pathways are believed to converge ultimately with the activation of caspases leading to the characteristic morphological changes of apoptosis. In this review, we discuss what is known about these pathways and its implication for normal cellular function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA.
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Blatt
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Glick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D002518:Ceramides / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D011494:Protein Kinases; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D020169:Caspases