1. Signaling Pathways
  2. Apoptosis
  3. Intrinsic Pathway

Intrinsic Pathway  (内源性途径)

别名: Mitochondria-dependent Pathway

The intrinsic pathway is also known as mitochondrial pathway depending on the release of apoptotic factors from mitochondria. This pathway is activated by cellular stresses like growth factor deprivation, cytoskeletal disruption, DNA damage, accumulation of unfolded proteins, hypoxia, and many others. All these changes influence the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) with the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pores (MPTP), loss of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and release of pro-apoptotic proteins from the intermembrane space into the cytosol. One of the most important factors released by mitochondria is cytochrome c (cyt C) which, together with (d)ATP and the adapter protein Apaf1, forms the apoptosome complex necessary for activation of caspase 9. Active caspase 9 in turn triggers the downstream elements of the caspase cascade.