Mitochondria are key regulators of apoptosis, the programmed cell death process. In cancer, the balance between pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic signals is often disrupted, allowing cancer cells to evade apoptosis. Mitochondria release cytochrome c and other pro-apoptotic factors in response to cellular stress, triggering the apoptotic cascade. However, cancer cells frequently overexpress anti-apoptotic proteins, such as Bcl-2, which inhibit cytochrome c release and prevent apoptosis. Targeting mitochondrial pathways to induce apoptosis is a potential therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment.
