And all of a sudden it's over: mitochondrial outer-membrane permeabilization in apoptosis

Abstract

Identification of pro-apoptotic activities for a variety of proteins normally resident in the mitochondrial inter-membrane space has substantiated the role of mitochondria as integral to the apoptotic process. Cytochrome c is involved in apoptosome formation and caspase activation, SMAC/Diablo deregulates the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins, apoptosis-inducing factor may play a role in chromatin condensation and release of other proteins such as adenylate kinase may adversely affect cellular metabolism and contribute to the death of a cell if the downstream apoptotic pathway is blocked. It is still unclear how these proteins are released from the mitochondria. Recent advances in our knowledge of mitochondrial outer-membrane permeabilization and the consequences of this event on mitochondria will be discussed.