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Breaking the mitochondrial barrier

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 2, pages 63–67 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Pro- and anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family control the permeability of the outer mitochondrial membrane. They could do this either by forming autonomous pores in the membrane or by collaborating with components of the permeability transition pore. Here we discuss why we favour the first of these possibilities.

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Figure 1: Activation of Bax and Bak by BH3-only proteins.
Figure 2: Two models for permeabilization of the outer mitochondrial membrane.

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Acknowledgements

We thank B. Antonsson, S. Desagher, M. Koco–Vilbois, K. Maundrell, S. Montessuit, O. Terradillos and X. Roucou for critical reading of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departement de Biologie Cellulaire, Sciences III, 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, Genève, 4, 1211, Switzerland

    Jean-Claude Martinou

  2. Serono Pharmaceutical Research Institute, 14, Chemin des Aulx, 1228 Plan les Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland

    Jean-Claude Martinou

  3. the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, 10355 Science Center Drive, San Diego, 92121, California, USA

    Douglas R. Green

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  1. Jean-Claude Martinou
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  2. Douglas R. Green
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Related links

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DATABASE LINKS

Apaf-1

Smac

AIF

Bcl-2

Bcl-xL

Bax

Bak

Bid

Bad

Bim

cyclophilin D

Bok

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE SCIENCES

Apoptosis: molecular mechanisms

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Martinou, JC., Green, D. Breaking the mitochondrial barrier. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2, 63–67 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/35048069

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