Necroptosis, pyroptosis and apoptosis: an intricate game of cell death

Cell death is a fundamental physiological process in all living organisms. Its roles extend from embryonic development, organ maintenance, and aging to the coordination of immune responses and autoimmunity. In recent years, our understanding of the mechanisms orchestrating cellular death and its consequences on immunity and homeostasis has increased substantially. Different modalities of what has become known as 'programmed cell death' have been described, and some key players in these processes have been identified. We have learned more about the intricacies that fine tune the activity of common players and ultimately shape the different types of cell death. These studies have highlighted the complex mechanisms tipping the balance between different cell fates. Here, we summarize the latest discoveries in the three most well understood modalities of cell death, namely, apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, highlighting common and unique pathways and their effect on the surrounding cells and the organism as a whole.

Automated summary

Cell death is a fundamental physiological process in all living organisms, playing important roles in embryonic development, organ maintenance, aging, immune responses, and autoimmunity. Recent research has significantly increased our understanding of the mechanisms orchestrating different types of programmed cell death and how they affect the balance of cell fates. Various modalities of cell death, such as apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, have been studied to highlight both common and unique pathways and their impact on the surrounding cells and the organism as a whole.