Programmed cell death
Cell death from internal events, crucial for development and homeostasis.
Programmed cell death (PCD), also called cell suicide or cellular suicide, is the death of a cell resulting from internal events such as apoptosis or autophagy. It is a biological process that typically confers an advantage during an organism's lifecycle, for example in the separation of fingers and toes during human embryonic development. PCD serves fundamental functions in both plant and animal tissue development.
- field
- Cell biology
- known_for
- Concept of programmed cell death, including apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis
- types
- Apoptosis (Type I), Autophagic cell death (Type II), Necroptosis
Lore & Background
The term PCD has caused some confusion, and Durand and Ramsey later developed mechanistic and evolutionary definitions. PCD has become the general term for all cell death types that have a genetic component. The first insight into the mechanism came from studying BCL2, a putative oncogene activated by chromosome translocations in follicular lymphoma; unlike other cancer genes, BCL2 promoted cancer by preventing lymphoma cells from killing themselves.
Reader's Guide
Robert Horvitz, and John E. Sulston. The field encompasses multiple pathways: apoptosis (Type I), autophagic cell death (Type II), and necroptosis, a form of programmed necrosis recognized in the 2000s. Necroptosis can serve as a backup to apoptosis when apoptosis signaling is blocked by viruses or mutations. Other regulated necrosis forms have since been discovered, sharing signaling events with necroptosis and apoptosis. The balance between mitosis and apoptosis depends on signals from growth or survival factors. Autophagy and apoptosis are connected both positively and negatively, with extensive crosstalk; for example, Bcl-2 inhibits Beclin-1-dependent autophagy, functioning as both a pro-survival and anti-autophagic regulator.
Did You Know?
- BCL2, an oncogene in follicular lymphoma, promotes cancer by stopping lymphoma cells from killing themselves.
- Necroptosis was recognized in the 2000s as a programmed form of necrosis that can serve as a backup to apoptosis.
- Autophagy is generally activated by nutrient deprivation but is also associated with development, differentiation, neurodegenerative diseases, stress, infection, and cancer.
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