caspases
Pronunciation: kas′pās-ĕz
Definition: Proteolytic cleavage products of the protein's procaspases that are responsible for cleaving and activation of additional procaspases into more caspases, thus resulting in a cascade of proteolytic activity the final result of which is apoptosis of the cell.
[cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase]
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Examples: glitazone, GI cocktail, etc.

