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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Jan 30.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Neurovasc Res. 2009 Aug 1;6(3):171–180. doi: 10.2174/156720209788970063

Fig. (5).

Fig. (5)

Proposed mechanism and effect of thapsigargin. Thapsigargin inhibits the calcium-ATPase of the sarcoplasmic (SR)/endoplasmic reticulum (ER), resulting in enhanced intracellular calcium levels. This enhanced Ca2+ can either inhibit apoptosis by activation of anti-apoptotic substances of e.g. the Bcl-2 class or can induce apoptosis by activation of the caspase cascade after ER stress and/or mitochondrial dysfunction. Alternatively, the enhanced production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may result in angiogenesis and possibly tumor formation.