Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6286771 | Trends in Neurosciences | 2012 | 10 Pages |
Abstract
Caspase-3 has been identified as a key mediator of neuronal programmed cell death. This protease plays a central role in the developing nervous system and its activation is observed early in neural tube formation and persists during postnatal differentiation of the neural network. Caspase-3 activation, a crucial event of neuronal cell death program, is also a feature of many chronic neurodegenerative diseases. This traditional apoptotic function of caspase-3 is challenged by recent studies that reveal new cell death-independent roles for mitochondrial-activated caspase-3 in neurite pruning and synaptic plasticity. These findings underscore the need for further research into the mechanism of action and functions of caspase-3 that may prove useful in the development of novel pharmacological treatments for a diverse range of neurological disorders.
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Neuroscience
Neuroscience (General)
Authors
Marcello D'Amelio, Morgan Sheng, Francesco Cecconi,