Caspases, a family of cysteine proteases, execute apoptotic cell death. Caspases exist as inactive zymogens in cells and undergo a cascade of catalytic activation at the onset of apoptosis. Initiation of apoptosis occurs through either a cell-intrinsic or cell-extrinsic pathway. Extrinsic pathway cell death signals originate at the plasma membrane where:
Hengartner, MO
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