Cytotoxic granule-mediated apoptosis: unraveling the complex mechanism

The molecular details of cytotoxic granule-mediated apoptosis have been gleaned from the study of the effects of isolated granzymes and perforin on target cells. Recent evidence indicates that the physiological apoptosis-inducing form is a multi-component macro-complex consisting of cationic granule proteins non-covalently linked to the chondroitin-sulfate proteoglycan, serglycin.