Caspase and Kinase

[Sharifa]

Hello everybody

What is the differaces between Caspase and Kinase in the cell cycle?

regards,
Sharifa

[Chris4]

The definition of a Caspase is any of a family of intracellular proteases that are involved in initiating the cellular events of apoptosis (programmed cell death). I think there are 10. caspase-1 etc. Caspase-3 is one of the main caspases.
Heres a diagram of the Caspase Cascade in Apoptosis.
http://www.biocarta.com/pathfiles/h_CaspasePathway.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspase

A kinase catalyses the phosphorylation reaction. ATP to ADP. see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinase
Protein kinases are the more specific term to use in the cell cycle:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_kinase
A classic kinase pathway, the Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is involved in the initiation of the cell cycle, amongst many other roles.

[Sharifa]

thanks alot Chris4 ..