DISMANTLING IN CELL-DEATH - MOLECULAR MECHANISMS AND RELATIONSHIP TO CASPASE ACTIVATION

The notion of a cell death programme was introduced in view of the rep roducibility of its occurrence in time and space (e.g. in the developi ng embryo) and of its genetic determination. Programmed cell death can be schematically subdivided into three steps: a signalling phase, an execution phase and a dismantling phase. This review focuses on the la tter. Apoptosis is the most studied form of dismantling of animal cell s. The molecular pathways leading to certain apoptotic lesions appear to be dependent on the proteolytic activity of caspases. Death itself can, however, be caspase-independent. Also, non-apoptotic forms of cel l death exist, even in animal cells; their molecular bases are still u nknown. The relationship between cell death, apoptosis and caspases is discussed.