Caspase 8 is a crucial enzyme in the process of apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death. It belongs to the family of cysteine-aspartic proteases and is encoded by the CASP8 gene. Caspase 8 is primarily involved in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis, where it acts as an initiator caspase, activating downstream effector caspases that dismantle the cell.
