Pathways to caspase activation.
Apoptosis or programmed cell death is an active form of cell death which is essential for tissue homeostasis. Many proteins are involved in the molecular signal transduction of apoptosis. The caspase enzymes, a family of specific cysteine proteases, play a central role in cell death machinery. In this review, we mainly discuss the current understanding of several pathways to activate caspases and some key proteins related to these pathways.
Wang
Zi-Bing
ZB
Department of Immunology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, 100850 Beijing, China.
Liu
Yu-Qing
YQ
Cui
Yu-Fang
YF
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D020169:Caspases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D053804:Granzymes; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
C506592:APAF1 protein, human; D053477:Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D045304:Cytochromes c; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; C509213:GZMB protein, human; D053804:Granzymes; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D020169:Caspases