Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death
09:18

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death

Published on: December 27, 2016

Signal transduction pathways to apoptosis

D J McConkey1, S Orrenius

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, Box 173, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Trends in Cell Biology
|October 1, 1994
PubMed

Insights

Signaling pathways like calcium (Ca2+) and protein kinase C can both promote and inhibit apoptosis. This review explores how these signal transduction systems mediate multiple cellular responses.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular signaling
  • Apoptosis regulation
  • Signal transduction

Background:

  • Diverse signaling events regulate apoptosis across various model systems.
  • These events include cytosolic Ca(2+) rises, cAMP accumulation, and protein kinase C activation.
  • The role of signaling in apoptosis is context-dependent, with some signals promoting and others inhibiting the process.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the dual role of specific signaling pathways in apoptosis.
  • To propose explanations for how signal transduction systems mediate opposing cellular outcomes.
  • To consolidate understanding of complex cellular responses to signaling events.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on apoptosis regulation.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways involved in cell death.
  • Synthesis of data from diverse model systems.

Main Results:

  • Cytosolic Ca(2+) rises, cAMP accumulation, protein kinase C, protein tyrosine kinases, and ceramide production are key regulators of apoptosis.
  • The same signaling events can either promote or inhibit apoptosis depending on the cellular context.
  • Signal transduction systems exhibit plasticity in mediating cellular fate.

Conclusions:

  • Signal transduction pathways possess the capacity to orchestrate opposing cellular responses, such as apoptosis promotion or inhibition.
  • Understanding the context-dependent nature of these signals is crucial for deciphering cellular fate.
  • This review provides a framework for understanding the multifaceted roles of signaling in cellular regulation.

More Related Videos

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis12:55

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis

Published on: February 16, 2015

LPS and ATP-induced Death of PMA-differentiated THP-1 Macrophages and its Validation06:12

LPS and ATP-induced Death of PMA-differentiated THP-1 Macrophages and its Validation

Published on: May 3, 2024

Related Concept Videos

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
Apoptosis01:30

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze the...
Signal Transduction: Overview01:26

Signal Transduction: Overview

Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. They respond to chemical signals, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling molecules, initiating a series of molecular reactions to produce an appropriate response. This is called signal transduction. Cells also coordinate different responses elicited by the same signaling molecule via mediators, allowing molecular cross-talk.
Typically, signal transduction involves three...