Apoptosis is associated with many diseases and is induced by a family of cell death receptors and their ligands. Cell death signals are transduced by death domain containing adapter molecules and members of the caspase family of proteases. Caspase-3 is a key effector caspase in the apoptosis cascade.1,2 The enzyme is efficiently activated by caspase-8, caspase-9, and granzyme B resulting in 17 and 12 kDa active subunits formed from the 34 kDa proenzyme.1,3 The substrates of caspase-3 are numerous and include pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins, downstream components of the apoptotic machinery (for example, ICAD), as well as structural and homeostatic proteins.1,2 DNA fragmentation and the morphological changes associated with this final stage of apoptosis appears to be dependent upon caspase-3.4 Caspase-3 is expressed in a variety of tissues and cells.5,6WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.
