[The caspases are a family of proteases responsible for carrying out the cell death process. In a living cell, these proteases are kept inactive by proteins on the mitochondrial cell surface from the BcL-2 family. When a cell is exposed to cell death signals such as ischemia, chemotherapy or radiation, BcL-2 function is blocked and caspase activators initiate the cell death cascade. ( NCI )]
UMLS (CSP) C0010656 - Amino Acid, Peptide, or Protein
- Enzyme
Relation/PAR: Endopeptidase
Relation/CHD: calpain
papain
Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretase