Do inducers of apoptosis trigger caspase-independent cell death?
Chipuk JE; Green DR Division of Cellular Immunology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, 10355 Science Center Drive, San Diego, California 92121, USA. jerrychipuk@hotmail.com Apoptotic cell death is mediated by molecular pathways that culminate in the activation of a family of cysteine proteases, known as the caspases, which orchestrate the dismantling and clearance of the dying cell. However, mounting evidence indicates that a cell that has been treated with an apoptotic inducer can also initiate a suicide programme that does not rely on caspase activation. Here, we present recent findings and discuss the physiological relevance of caspase-independent cell death.
