The role of caspases as executioners of apoptosis
Sharad Kumar, Loretta Dorstyn, Yoon Lim
Abstract
Caspases are a family of cysteine aspartyl proteases mostly involved in the execution of apoptotic cell death and in regulating inflammation. This article focuses primarily on the evolutionarily conserved function of caspases in apoptosis. We summarise which caspases are involved in apoptosis, how they are activated and regulated, and what substrates they target for cleavage to orchestrate programmed cell death by apoptosis.
Topics & Concepts
CaspaseApoptosisProteasesIntrinsic apoptosisCell biologyProgrammed cell deathCaspase 2XIAPBiologyCysteineInflammationFunction (biology)Cleavage (geology)ChemistryBiochemistryImmunologyEnzymePaleontologyFracture (geology)Cell death mechanisms and regulationPhagocytosis and Immune Regulationinterferon and immune responses