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Updated: May 18, 2026
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In Vivo Biosensor Tracks Non-apoptotic Caspase Activity in Drosophila
Published on: November 27, 2016
Apoptotic and nonapoptotic caspase functions in animal development
1Department of Genetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, and CREST, JST, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. miura@mol.f.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology
|October 3, 2012
Summary
Caspase activation is a key stress response in developing animals, controlling cell death and non-apoptotic functions. This process drives development through cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Cellular stress response
Background:
- Developing animals face intrinsic and extrinsic stresses.
- Caspase activation is a critical cellular response to stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the multifaceted roles of caspase activation during animal development.
- To understand both cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous functions of caspases.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of caspase activation pathways.
- Investigation of caspase roles in apoptosis and non-apoptotic cellular processes.
- Examination of cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous signaling.
Main Results:
- Caspase activation regulates apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, cell shape, and migration.
- Caspase activation drives development via cell-autonomous execution of functions.
- Caspase activation influences development through non-cell-autonomous signaling and mechanical forces.
Conclusions:
- Caspase activation is a central regulator of developmental processes.
- Both direct cellular functions and secreted signals mediate caspase's developmental impact.
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