Description
Apoptosis regulator Bcl-2 inhibits apoptosis in various cell systems, including factor-dependent lymphohematopoietic and neural cells. It regulates cell death by controlling the permeability of the mitochondrial membrane and functions within a feedback loop with caspases. Bcl-2 inhibits caspase activity by either preventing the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria or by binding to the apoptosis-activating factor (APAF-1). Additionally, it acts as an inhibitor of autophagy by interacting with BECN1 and AMBRA1 during non-starvation conditions, thereby hindering their autophagy functions. In rabbits, this protein is encoded by the BCL2 gene