Final answer:
BAX and BAK are crucial proteins in the process of apoptosis. They facilitate the release of cytochrome C through mitochondrial channels, initiating cell death. In cancer cells, the function of these proteins is often impaired, aiding in cancer cell survival and proliferation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cancers often gain the ability to interfere with the normal process of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, by manipulating the cellular apoptosis pathway. In this context, BAX and BAK play a crucial role. BAX and BAK are members of the Bcl-2 protein family, which are significant regulators of apoptosis. They are pro-apoptotic factors located on the outer mitochondrial membrane and play a direct role in mitochondrial permeabilization leading to apoptosis.
These proteins contribute to the formation of channels on the outer mitochondrial membrane, which allows the release of cytochrome C into the cytoplasm. This event subsequently triggers a cascade of molecular events that lead to the cell’s programmed death. In cancer cells, mechanisms may be altered or damaged, allowing the cells to escape this programmed cell death, thus enabling them to divide uncontrollably. By manipulating the expression or function of BAX and BAK, among other apoptotic regulators, cancer cells can avoid apoptosis and continue to survive and proliferate.
The understanding of how these proteins interact with the apoptotic pathway can be essential in designing cancer treatments, as therapies might aim to restore the function of these pathways to induce the death of cancerous cells.