Proteolytic activation of executioner caspase-3 and -7 regulates different physiological processes in mice.

Proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and caspase-7 is essential for distinct physiological processes in mice, with activation controlling different functions in adult tissues.

• Why it matters: Understanding the specific roles of caspase-3 and caspase-7 is crucial because they are traditionally viewed as functionally redundant, yet their unique contributions to physiology remain unclear.
• What they did: Researchers created knock-in mice with cleavage-resistant versions of CASP3 and CASP7, examining their activity and roles during embryonic development and in adult tissues.
• The result: Activation of CASP3 and CASP7 is vital for embryonic viability and adult tissue functions, with CASP7 necessary for male fertility and CASP3 for lymphoid tissue development, highlighting non-apoptotic roles.