Bax deletion further orders the cell death pathway in cerebellar granule cells and suggests a caspase-independent pathway to cell death

BAX is a member of the BCL-2 family of proteins which have been linked with the modulation of cell death in multicellular organisms. Bax has been shown to be essential in inhibiting apoptosis in developing sensory and central nervous system neurons in mice. Specifically, Bax is required for programmed cell death (PCD), but not excitotoxic cell death, of cerebellar granule cells. Bax is necessary for the downstream changes in glucose uptake, protein synthesis and mRNA levels, and the upstream activation of caspase.