Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Measuring Caspase Activity Using a Fluorometric Assay or Flow Cytometry
05:29

Measuring Caspase Activity Using a Fluorometric Assay or Flow Cytometry

Published on: March 24, 2023

The role of caspase-2 in stress-induced apoptosis

Lisa Bouchier-Hayes1

  • 1Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA. lisa.bouchier-hayes@stjude.org

Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
|February 18, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Caspase-2, a highly conserved protein, has a poorly understood role in cell death. Recent research is clarifying its function in stress responses, cell cycle, and cancer development.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Caspase-2 is the most evolutionarily conserved caspase.
  • Its precise role in apoptosis remains poorly defined due to limited detection techniques and lack of clear phenotypes in knockout models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advances in understanding caspase-2 function.
  • To explore the potential involvement of caspase-2 in human diseases, particularly cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on caspase-2.
  • Analysis of emerging evidence on caspase-2's role in cellular processes.

Main Results:

  • Caspase-2 shows potential roles in stress-induced cell death pathways.
  • Evidence suggests involvement in cell cycle maintenance and tumor progression.

Conclusions:

  • Despite challenges, caspase-2 is emerging as a significant factor in cellular regulation.
  • Further research may reveal caspase-2's contribution to human disease pathology, including cancer.

More Related Videos

Exploring Caspase Mutations and Post-Translational Modification by Molecular Modeling Approaches05:56

Exploring Caspase Mutations and Post-Translational Modification by Molecular Modeling Approaches

Published on: October 13, 2022

Lighting Up the Pathways to Caspase Activation Using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation08:47

Lighting Up the Pathways to Caspase Activation Using Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation

Published on: March 5, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Caspases01:24

Caspases

Caspase, a family of cysteine proteases, serve as effectors in apoptosis. The ced3 gene in C.elegans was first identified to be involved in apoptosis. This gene encodes the ced-3 caspase that is similar to the interleukin-1-beta converting enzyme or ICE in mammals. In addition to apoptosis, caspases also function in the inflammatory response. Inflammatory caspases are essential in activating pro-inflammatory cytokines that recruit immune cells and block the replication of pathogens inside cells.
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...
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...
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...
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.
Other Stress Responses in Bacteria01:30

Other Stress Responses in Bacteria

Bacteria have global regulatory systems that control several types of stress mechanisms. These include Pho regulon and the heat shock response, which are essential systems for environmental adaptation, such as nutrient limitation and proteotoxic stress. The Pho regulon and the heat shock response exemplify bacterial resilience, enabling rapid adaptation to fluctuating environmental conditions.Pho RegulonBacteria require phosphorus for essential cellular processes, including nucleic acid...