Cell death mechanisms: cross-talk and role in disease.

Multiple cell death mechanisms operate in both uni- and multicellular organisms. Hence, research during the past forty years has revealed that apoptosis is not the only cell death program involved in the regulation of tissue homeostasis and the removal of unwanted cells in biological organisms. While the molecular pathways of apoptosis and necrosis are now relatively well established, the precise mechanisms of other cell death modalities, and their cross-talk, require additional study. This is particularly important, since many human disorders can be attributed, directly or indirectly, to defective cell death mechanisms. In this review we shall discuss the characteristics and cross-talk between various modes of cell death and their role in cell death-related disorders, notably, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.