Regulatory Status Legend

Description

The caspase family of cysteine proteases plays a key role in apoptosis and inflammation. Caspase-3 is a key protease that is activated during the early stages of apoptosis and, like other members of the caspase family, is synthesized as an inactive pro-enzyme that is processed in cells undergoing apoptosis by self-proteolysis and/or cleavage by another protease. The processed forms of caspases consist of large (17-22 kDa) and small (10-12 kDa) subunits which associate to form an active enzyme. Active caspase-3, a marker for cells undergoing apoptosis, consists of a heterodimer of 17 and 12 kDa subunits which is derived from the 32 kDa pro-enzyme. Active caspase-3 proteolytically cleaves and activates other caspases, as well as relevant targets in the cytoplasm, e.g., D4-GDI and Bcl-2, and in the nucleus (e.g. PARP). This antibody has been reported to specifically recognize the active form of caspase-3 in human and mouse cells. It has not been reported to recognize the pro-enzyme form of caspase-3.