Caspases are well known for their central role in most cell death pathways leading to apoptosis. In fact, activation of caspases is regarded as the “the kiss of death” resulting in the cell’s demise.  However, recent work suggests that activation of the “killer” caspases does not always condemn cells to die.  In fact, caspase activity appears to be necessary for several non-apoptotic cellular functions, including the regulation of cytokine expression, proliferation, differentiation, and survival (see table). For example, caspases 1 and 5 are activated in molecular platforms called inflammasomes where they play a role in innate immune responses by processing cytokines involved in the inflammatory response. Caspases 3, 6, and 8 play a role in T & B lymphocyte proliferation. Many caspases are involved in the terminal differentiation of specific cells, including when cell differentiation processes lead to enucleation such as caspase-14 activation in keratinocyte differentiation.  Although, the balance between apoptotic and nonapoptotic functions of caspases remains to be fully elucidated, it is becoming increasingly clear that caspases are turning out to fulfill additional unanticipated functions.