Fig. 2.

Overview of caspase modulation, analysis, and functions. Downstream caspase pathways may be studied with the help of the caspase downregulation at several levels, including inhibition of caspase gene expression by siRNA and inhibition of caspase activity by inhibitors in vitro. Alternatively, recombinant caspases may be used for specification of caspase functions. In vivo investigation relies on deficient mice with null or targeted caspase deletion. Analysis of caspases includes quantification of caspase expression by PCR-based techniques and activity assessment (e.g., western blot, bioluminescence, bioimaging) applied in vitro and in vivo. Detection of caspases by specific antibodies in situ provides information about caspase importance in individual cell types. With the help of these approaches, caspases have been associated with multiple functions such as programmed apoptotic cell death [286], programmed non-apoptotic cell death [287], inflammation and immune system [288], differentiation [16], proliferation [289], regulation of stem cells maintenance [43], non-apoptotic regulation of malignancies [290], modification of ECM [181], migration [28]