Figure 2.

Distinct dependencies of antiapoptotic BCL-2 proteins exist in specific immune cell subsets. Animal models with global or conditional deletion of single antiapoptotic proteins have demonstrated that these proteins are essential for unique subsets of immune cells. Most studies have focused on the importance of the BCL-2 family in the lymphoid lineage in both developing and mature B and T cells. The differential dependencies of immune cells on unique antiapoptotic proteins may allow for the targeted drugging of specific immune cell subsets.