The BCL-2 family includes both pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins, which regulate programmed cell death during development and in response to various apoptotic stimuli. The BH3-only subgroup of pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family members is critical for the induction of apoptotic signaling, by binding to and neutralizing anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family members. During embryonic development, the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-X(L) plays a critical role in the survival of neuronal populations by regulating the multi-BH domain protein BAX.
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