When FasL binds to the Fas receptor, it triggers the formation of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). This complex recruits and activates a cascade of caspases, beginning with caspase 8, which in turn activates downstream caspases such as caspase 3. These caspases cleave various cellular substrates, leading to the biochemical and morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis, such as DNA fragmentation, cell shrinkage, and membrane blebbing.
