Apoptosis also plays a critical role in vertebrate development and glandular homeostasis.
PKC appears to promote or protect against apoptosis depending on the specific isoform and cell type. Induction of apoptosis by chemotherapeutic drugs results in the activation of both of these isoforms. Conversely, expression of pro-apoptotic PKC isoforms may be useful in the treatment of salivary gland tumors and other tumors of epithelial origin. A second project in our laboratory focuses on regulation steroid hormone expression in adrenal cells. The steroid hydroxylase genes encode enzymes which are required for the synthesis of steroid hormones.