BAX and SMAC regulate bistable properties of the apoptotic caspase system.

ABSTRACT: The initiation of apoptosis is a core mechanism in cellular biology by which organisms control the removal of damaged or unnecessary cells. The irreversible activation of caspases is essential for apoptosis, and mathematical models have demonstrated that the process is tightly regulated by positive feedback and a bistable switch. BAX and SMAC are often dysregulated in diseases such as cancer or neurodegeneration and are two key regulators that interact with the caspase system generating the apoptotic switch. Here we present a mathematical model of how BAX and SMAC control the apoptotic switch. Formulated as a system of ordinary differential equations, the model summarises experimental and computational evidence from the literature and incorporates the biochemical mechanisms of how BAX and

SUBMITTER: McKenna S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7870884 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature