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Updated: Jun 12, 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

Dependence receptors: mechanisms of an announced death

Chantal Thibert1, Joanna Fombonne

  • 1Apoptosis, Cancer and Development Laboratory, Equipe labellisée La Ligue, Université de Lyon, CNRS UMR5238, Lyon, France. chantal.thibert@ujf-grenoble.fr

Cell Cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)
|May 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Dependence receptors signal survival with ligands but trigger cell death without them. Research is uncovering how these receptors initiate cell death pathways in ligand absence.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Dependence receptors are a class of cell surface receptors.
  • These receptors mediate opposing signals based on ligand presence.
  • Ligand presence promotes cell survival, differentiation, or migration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of ligand-independent cell death.
  • To understand how dependence receptors trigger apoptosis.

Main Methods:

  • Investigating receptor localization at the plasma membrane.
  • Analyzing the role of monomeric receptor forms.
  • Studying caspase cleavage and recruitment of caspase-activating complexes.

Main Results:

  • Dependence receptors are recruited to specific plasma membrane domains.
  • Receptor monomerization is crucial for initiating cell death.
  • Caspase cleavage and subsequent complex formation are key events.

Conclusions:

  • The study reveals critical steps in ligand-independent cell death mediated by dependence receptors.
  • Understanding these pathways offers insights into cell survival and death regulation.

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