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Bcl-x is related to the Bcl-2 protein and can function independently of Bcl-2 in regulating apoptosis (programmed cell death). The bcl-x transcript is expressed in a number of tissues, with the highest levels in the lymphoid and central nervous systems. Two distinct cDNA species, bcl-xL and bcl-xS, have been observed and appear to arise from alternate 5' splice sites located within the first coding exon of the bcl-x gene. Bcl-xL is composed of 233 amino acids and is similar in size and structure to Bcl-2. The Bcl-xS polypeptide shows a deletion of 63 amino acids which consist of the region of Bcl-xL with the highest degree of amino acid identity to Bcl-2. Like Bcl-2, Bcl-xL inhibits cell death upon growth factor withdrawal when transfected into an IL-3-dependent cell line. However, Bcl-xS inhibits Bcl-2 mediated cell survival.