Caspases are a family of cysteine proteases that play an essential role in carrying out apoptosis. Caspase-14, also named MICE, is a unique member of the caspase family with restricted expression, it is found in embryonic tissues and adult skin. Caspase-14 is weakly processed into p18 and p11 subunits by caspase-8. May also be responsible for proteolytic processing of filaggrin during terminal differentiation of keratinocytes.
