Figure 6.

The lysosomal pathway of apoptosis. In some cells, including hepatocytes and cholangiocytes, the binding of a death ligand to its cognate receptor results in early lysosomal membrane permeabilization associated with release of lysosomal enzymes into the cytosol. These lysosomal enzymes, and in particular the highly abundant lysosomal cathepsins, then trigger mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization and mitochondrial dysfunction likely by cleaving and/or activating members of the Bcl-2 family. This apoptotic cascade as been referred to as the lysosomal pathway.