부산대학교 도서관

Caspases are cysteine proteases which serve as the central executioners of apoptotic pathways induced by a wide variety of stimuli. Deregulation of apoptosis and caspase activity contributes to a large number of pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, autoimmune disease, disorders involving chronic inflammation, and cancer. Thus, caspases are prime targets for therapeutic interventions aimed at treating these conditions. This review will examine the structure and function of caspases and highlight the findings of applications that inhibit or promote caspase activity in animal models in order to illuminate potential avenues for caspase-regulating drug development.