The multifaceted activity of insect caspases

• Insect caspases are involved in several non-apoptotic processes.
• Caspases promote a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated autophagy.
• Caspase-mediated non-apoptotic functions include neuroblast self-renewal and immune response.

Caspases are frequently considered synonymous with apoptotic cell death. Increasing evidence demonstrates that these proteases may exert their activities in non-apoptotic functions. The non-apoptotic roles of caspases may include developmentally regulated autophagy during insect metamorphosis, as well as neuroblast self-renewal and the immune response. Here, we summarize the established knowledge and the recent advances in the multiple roles of insect caspases to highlight their relevance for physiological processes and survival.

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