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Updated: Jul 23, 2025
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Evaluation of Caspase Activation to Assess Innate Immune Cell Death
Published on: January 20, 2023
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Death and survival from executioner caspase activation.
1Key Laboratory of Experimental Teratology, Ministry of Education, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|July 19, 2023
Summary
Executioner caspases regulate cell death, including apoptosis and pyroptosis. However, cells can survive executioner caspase activation, leading to significant molecular and phenotypic changes.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Executioner caspases are key regulators of programmed cell death pathways.
- These enzymes mediate apoptosis and pyroptosis by cleaving specific protein substrates.
- Emerging evidence indicates that cells can survive executioner caspase activation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the dual role of executioner caspases in cell death and survival.
- To summarize the mechanisms and consequences of surviving executioner caspase activation.
- To explore the implications of stress-induced executioner caspase activation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on executioner caspases.
- Analysis of molecular and phenotypic alterations in surviving cells.
- Synthesis of data on apoptotic and pyroptotic pathways.
Main Results:
- Executioner caspases induce apoptosis and pyroptosis.
- Cellular stress can lead to survival despite executioner caspase activation.
- Survivors exhibit altered molecular and phenotypic characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Executioner caspases have complex roles beyond initiating cell death.
- Survival from executioner caspase activation represents an adaptive response to stress.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term consequences of this survival.
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