1) Peptidase 2) Protease 3) Proteinase 4) Proteolytic enzyme 
Caspases, or cysteine-aspartic proteases or cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases are a family of cysteine proteases that play essential roles in apoptosis (programmed cell death), necrosis, and inflammation. Caspases are essential in cells for apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in development and most other stages of adult life, and h...
Type: Term Pronunciation: kas′pās Definitions: 1. An enzyme implicated in apoptosis, which cleaves proteins after asparatic acid. (Thus, c aspase.)
[n] - any of a group of proteases that mediate apoptosis
noun any of a group of proteases that mediate apoptosis