Types of Cell Death from a Molecular Perspective

Abstract

The former conventional belief was that cell death resulted from either apoptosis or necrosis; however, in recent years, different pathways through which a cell can undergo cell death have been discovered. Various types of cell death are distinguished by specific morphological alterations in the cell’s structure, coupled with numerous biological activation processes. Various diseases, such as cancers, can occur due to the accumulation of damaged cells in the body caused by the dysregulation and failure of cell death. Thus, comprehending these cell death pathways is crucial for formulating effective therapeutic strategies. We focused on providing a comprehensive overview of the existing literature pertaining to various forms of cell death, encompassing apoptosis, anoikis, pyroptosis, NETosis, ferroptosis, autophagy, entosis, methuosis, paraptosis, mitoptosis, parthanatos, necroptosis, and necrosis.

Keywords

• programmed cell death
• uncontrolled cell death
• molecular pathways
• cell morphology