Comparison of apoptosis in vertebrates and invertebrates (mainly in insects) with particular emphasis on physiological role of this process in development of organisms
Ligęza-Żuber, M.; Boguś, M.ła.I.
Postepy Biochemii 60(3): 333-340
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 0032-5422 PMID: 26263763 Document Number: 672803
Apoptosis (from Greek "dropping off leaves") is defined as active genetically programmed cell death, that may occur in single cell or group of cells in organisms. This process is highly conserved among invertebrates and vertebrates but we can identify different components of the apoptotic pathways or changes in mechanisms by which apoptosis is activated between species. Generally apoptosis plays a key role in normal tissue development as well as in elimination of unwanted cells including damaged or infected cells. This type of cell death, conserved through evolution, permits homeostasis maintenance on the right level. The mechanisms of apoptosis are very complex and sophisticated, in vertebrate research indicates a few main pathways, differing in the first stage leading to the activation of executive enzymes - caspases. Caspases are essential for the initiation and regulation of apoptosis and a large number of these enzymes have been identified in various animals from sponges to vertebrates. In these work we focused on comparison invertebrate and vertebrate pathways of apoptosis, especially in insects species (Diptera and Lepidoptera). We investigate how these organisms use that kind of cells control as kind of immune response triggered by pathogen infection.