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Reference.org
Survivin
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<p>Survivin, also called baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing 5 or BIRC5, is a protein that, in humans, is encoded by the <i>BIRC5</i> gene. </p><p>Survivin is a member of the <a href="/facts/Inhibitor_of_apoptosis/GCaFYmRe">inhibitor of apoptosis</a> (IAP) family. The survivin protein functions to inhibit caspase activation, thereby leading to negative regulation of apoptosis or programmed cell death. This has been shown by disruption of survivin induction pathways leading to increase in apoptosis and decrease in tumour growth. The survivin protein is expressed highly in most human tumours and fetal tissue, but is completely absent in terminally differentiated cells. </p>