Eukaryotic cells can die from physical trauma, which results in necrosis. Alternatively, they can die through programmed cell death upon the stimulation of specific signalling pathways. In this Review, we discuss the role of different cell death pathways in innate immune defence against bacterial and viral infection: apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis and NETosis. We describe the interactions that interweave different programmed cell death pathways, which create complex signalling networks that cross-guard each other in the evolutionary 'arms race' with pathogens. Finally, we describe how the resulting cell corpses - apoptotic bodies, pore-induced intracellular traps (PITs) and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) - promote the clearance of infection.
Through their many and varied metabolic functions, mitochondria power life. Paradoxically, mitochondria also have a central role in apoptotic cell death. Upon induction of mitoc...
Cells may die from accidental cell death (ACD) or regulated cell death (RCD). ACD is a biologically uncontrolled process, whereas RCD involves tightly structured signaling casca...
Neutrophils engulf and kill bacteria when their antimicrobial granules fuse with the phagosome. Here, we describe that, upon activation, neutrophils release granule proteins and...
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 immun...
Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocytes in the circulation, and have been regarded as first line of defense in the innate arm of the immune system. They capture and destroy...
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