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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

Death receptors: signaling and modulation

A Ashkenazi1, V M Dixit

  • 1Department of Molecular Oncology, Genentech Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA. aa@gene.com

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|August 28, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Apoptosis, a programmed cell death, is vital for animal survival. Specialized cell surface death receptors detect external signals, triggering internal apoptosis pathways to eliminate harmful cells.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Apoptosis is a fundamental biological process for multicellular organisms.
  • It plays a critical role in tissue homeostasis and development.
  • Dysregulation of apoptosis is implicated in various diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role of death receptors in initiating apoptosis.
  • To understand how extracellular signals trigger programmed cell death.
  • To explore the mechanisms of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated cell surface death receptors.
  • Analyzed the detection of extracellular death signals.
  • Examined the activation of the intrinsic apoptosis machinery.

Main Results:

  • Identified specific cell surface sensors as death receptors.
  • Demonstrated that death receptors detect extracellular death signals.
  • Confirmed that death receptors trigger the intrinsic apoptosis pathway.

Conclusions:

  • Death receptors are key initiators of the apoptosis cascade.
  • Extracellular signals mediated by death receptors are crucial for cell survival control.
  • The intrinsic apoptosis machinery is rapidly activated upon death receptor signaling.

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