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Apoptosis DNA Damage Pathway
The cellular activation of the caspase cascade resulting in cell death is triggered by chemical damage to DNA which stimulates a sequence resulting in the cleavage of BID or directly initiates the permeability transition of the mitochondrial membrane. The permeability transition releases several factors including cytochrome c, AIF and other factors in to the cytoplasm. Cytochrome c, a key protein in electron transport, is released from mitochondria in response to apoptotic signals, and activates Apaf-1, a protease released from mitochondria. Activated Apaf-1 activates caspase-9 and the rest of the caspase cascade. The caspases are a class of cysteine proteases that includes several representatives involved in apoptosis. The caspases convey the apoptotic signal in a proteolytic cascade, with caspases cleaving and activating other caspases that then degrade other cellular targets that lead to cell death. (NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)
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