Caspase-3 is a cysteine protease that plays a role in apoptosis, is responsible for chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation, and may be involved in stem cell differentiation. It is also the predominant caspase involved in cleavage of amyloid-beta, a protein well known for its role in Alzheimer's disease. Caspase-3 interacts with caspase-8 and caspase-9 and shares a substrate with caspase-7. Inhibitors of caspase-3 are in demand for cancer and neurological studies. Members of the IAP (inhibitor of apoptosis) family of protein inhibitors are commonly associated with inhibition of caspase-3.