Prevention of hypoxia-induced cell death by Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL

Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL controls the proteases present in the cell which might be how they prevent death due to oxygen withdrawal. In this type of cell death the amount of free oxygen radicals formed becomes less which affects the oxidation of lipids, proteins and DNA in the cell. The prevention of hypoxia-induced death by Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL is not because of their action on reactive oxygen species (ROS) since ROS is not involved even in very small amounts.