Caspase-3 Signaling

Apoptosis is programmed cell death characterized by nuclear condensation, cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and DNA fragmentation. Caspases, a family of cysteine proteases, are the central regulators of apoptosis. Initiator caspases (including caspase-2, -8, -9, -10, -11, and -12) are closely coupled to pro-apoptotic signals. Once activated, initiation caspases cleave and activate downstream effector caspases (including caspase-3, -6, and -7), which in turn execute apoptosis by cleaving targeted cellular proteins.