Taylor Rebecca C, Cullen Sean P, Martin Seamus J
Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics, The Smurfit Institute, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2008 Mar;9(3):231-41. doi: 10.1038/nrm2312.
Apoptosis is characterized by a series of dramatic perturbations to the cellular architecture that contribute not only to cell death, but also prepare cells for removal by phagocytes and prevent unwanted immune responses. Much of what happens during the demolition phase of apoptosis is orchestrated by members of the caspase family of cysteine proteases. These proteases target several hundred proteins for restricted proteolysis in a controlled manner that minimizes damage and disruption to neighbouring cells and avoids the release of immunostimulatory molecules.
细胞凋亡的特征是细胞结构发生一系列剧烈变化，这些变化不仅导致细胞死亡，还为吞噬细胞清除细胞做好准备，并防止不必要的免疫反应。细胞凋亡的破坏阶段发生的许多过程是由半胱氨酸蛋白酶家族的胱天蛋白酶成员精心安排的。这些蛋白酶以可控的方式靶向数百种蛋白质进行有限的蛋白水解，从而将对邻近细胞的损伤和破坏降至最低，并避免免疫刺激分子的释放。
