The Jekyll and Hyde Functions of Caspases

Apoptosis is an ancient form of regulated cell death that functions under pathological and nonpathological contexts in all metazoans. More than a decade of intense research has led to extensive characterization of the core molecular mechanisms for apoptotic cell death. This includes the identificati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Developmental cell 2009-01, Vol.16 (1), p.21-34
Main Authors: Yi, Caroline H., Yuan, Junying
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Apoptosis - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Caspases - metabolism
Cell Differentiation
Cell differentiation, maturation, development, hematopoiesis
Cell Movement
Cell physiology
Enzyme Activation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Immunity, Innate - physiology
Inflammation - metabolism
Isoenzymes - metabolism
Molecular and cellular biology
Signal Transduction - physiology
T-Lymphocytes - immunology
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Summary:Apoptosis is an ancient form of regulated cell death that functions under pathological and nonpathological contexts in all metazoans. More than a decade of intense research has led to extensive characterization of the core molecular mechanisms for apoptotic cell death. This includes the identification of a family of cysteine proteases, caspases, which are critical for the execution of apoptosis. Whereas completion of the proteolytic caspase cascade leads to elimination of a cell by apoptosis, caspase activation, when finely tuned, directs alternative cellular functions independent of cell death. Exciting recent developments have focused on uncovering nonapoptotic roles of caspases ranging from immune regulation to spermatogenesis, in highly specialized cellular frameworks.
ISSN:1534-5807
1878-1551
DOI:10.1016/j.devcel.2008.12.012