Apoptosis cell adhesion molecules

The Cambrian explosion which occurred between 580 and 490 million years ago (MYA) provided the major marine invertebrate phyla including the sponges, molluscs and soft corals.22 The hypothetical ancestor of the modern invertebrate phyla, the Urmetazoa, is shown in Figure 6.3 and is attributed with the earliest production of secondary metabolites responsible for apoptosis mediation, control of morphogenesis, and immune and cell adhesion molecules. 

Downstream in the pathway of rescue, PKB effects a number of phosphorylations that prevent apoptosis (Figure 8.17) (see Section 8.2 3.2). It is of interest to note that both growth factor receptors, such as TrkA, and adhesion molecules generate rescue signals through activation of protein tyrosine kinases, and apparently cells require both attachment to extracellular matrix and the presence of a particular growth factor in order not to die. 

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