APAF-1 is involved in the activation of which of the following casapses?
(A) Caspase 8 (B) Caspase 9 (C) Caspase 3 (D) Caspase 10
(B) Cytochrome c is released from mitochondria during apoptosis. Once released into the cytosol, cytochrome c binds to a protein called APAF-1 (apoptosis-activating factor-1), forming a multimeric structure called the apoptosome. This complex binds to caspase-9, the critical initiator caspase of the mitochondrial pathway, and promotes its autocatalytic cleavage, generating catalytically active forms of the enzyme.