Apoptosis and Permeability of Mitochondrial Membrane

During apoptosis, cytochrome c is released from mitochondria into the cytosol, where it triggers caspase activation leading to programmed cell death. Various and often conflicting mechanisms have been proposed to account for the increased permeability of the mitochondrial outer membrane that is responsible for the cytochrome efflux. Using bilayer lipid membranes, we study the effect of different pro-apoptotic agents on membrane permeability and on the endogenous voltage-dependent anion channel of mitochondrial outer membrane, VDAC.

Related references:

T.K. Rostovtseva, B. Antonsson, M. Suzuki, R.J. Youle, M. Colombini, and S.M. Bezrukov. Bid, but not Bax, regulates VDAC channels. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2004, 279:13575-13583. [PDF]

X. Roucou, T. Rostovtseva, S. Montessuit, J.-C. Martinou, and B. Antonsson. Bid induces cytochrome c impermeable Bax channels in liposomes. Biochemical Journal, 2002; 363:547-552. [PDF]