Figure 1.

Schematic representation describing the role of caspase-3-like activity as a rheostat regulating microglia polarization. The microglial activation states range from the surveying phenotype with a basal caspase-3 like activity, the tumor supporting phenotype with protease activity lower than the basal one, and the pro-inflammatory phenotype exhibiting a modest but significant induction for caspase-3 like activity. Robust induction of this caspase-3 like activity can lead to microglial cell death.