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Apoptosis: caspases orchestrate the ROCK `n' bleb

Nature Cell Biology volume 3, pages E91–E92 (2001)Cite this article

Although membrane blebbing is a characteristic morphological change associated with apoptosis, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this process. New research has identified the Rho GTPase target ROCK-I as being cleaved by caspases during apoptosis. ROCK-I is known to stimulate actomyosin-based contractility. Once cleaved, ROCK-I is constitutively active and is responsible for bleb formation in apoptotic cells.

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Figure 1: Cell motility and membrane blebbing during apoptosis share some mechanisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, 91 Riding House Street, London, W1W 7BS, UK

    Yann Leverrier & Anne J. Ridley

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    Yann Leverrier & Anne J. Ridley

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  1. Yann Leverrier
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  2. Anne J. Ridley
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Leverrier, Y., Ridley, A. Apoptosis: caspases orchestrate the ROCK `n' bleb. Nat Cell Biol 3, E91–E92 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35070151

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