Access

Scientific Correspondence

Nature 391, 449-450 (29 January 1998) | doi:10.1038/35060

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs

More science jobs
Post a job for free

Injected cytochrome c induces apoptosis

Boris Zhivotovsky1, Sten Orrenius1, Odd T. Brustugun2 & Stein O. Døskeland2

Top

Mitochondria, the cell's energy-producing organelles, are thought to play a central role in mediating apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Mitochondrial morphology remains intact during the process, the apoptosis-blocking protein Bcl-2 is localized in the outer mitochondrial membrane1, several critical steps in the process require ATP2, and mitochondrial 'megachannels' or 'permeability transitions' open during apoptosis. It has been suggested that mitochondrial constituents leak out through these permeability transition channels, and activate the apoptotic machinery in the cytosol3. Here we show that the injection into cells of a key mitochondrial protein, cytochrome c, activates apoptosis.