The Bcl-2 family of proteins: regulators of cell death and survival.

The Bcl-2 protein inhibits apoptosis induced by a variety of signals, in a range of cell types and in diverse organisms, and it is implicated in both normal development and oncogenesis. Despite this central role, the mechanism of action of Bcl-2 is not yet clear. Recent studies have uncovered a number of Bcl-2-related gene products that regulate apoptosis either negatively or positively, and Bcl-2 forms heterodimers with at least one of these proteins, Bax. This article discusses the role of the Bcl-2 family of proteins in the light of these findings.