Cited by 1,915Cell death mechanisms and regulationPhagocytosis and Immune RegulationCancer-related Molecular Pathways

Programmed Cell Death in Animal Development and Disease

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Fuchs, Yaron, Steller, Hermann·2011·Cell

Abstract

Programmed cell death (PCD) plays a fundamental role in animal development and tissue homeostasis. Abnormal regulation of this process is associated with a wide variety of human diseases, including immunological and developmental disorders, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Here, we provide a brief historical overview of the field and reflect on the regulation, roles, and modes of PCD during animal development. We also discuss the function and regulation of apoptotic proteins, including caspases, the key executioners of apoptosis, and review the nonlethal functions of these proteins in diverse developmental processes, such as cell differentiation and tissue remodeling. Finally, we explore a growing body of work about the connections between apoptosis, stem cells, and cancer, focusing on how apoptotic cells release a variety of signals to communicate with their cellular environment, including factors that promote cell division, tissue regeneration, and wound healing.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cell.2011.10.033

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  • RCD can occur in the absence of any exogenous environmental perturbation, operating as a built-in effector of physiological programs for development or tissue turnover.

    “On the one hand, RCD can occur in the absence of any exogenous environmental perturbation, hence operating as a built-in effector of physiological programs for development or tissue turnover [6, 18].”
  • Waves of cellular senescence followed by RCD contribute to developmental embryogenesis (dispensable) and to adult tissue repair/regeneration, immunity, stem cell preservation, and oncosuppression.

    “Waves of cellular senescence (followed by RCD) appear to contribute to developmental embryogenesis (although in a dispensable manner) [6, 946, 947] as well as to multiple pathophysiological processes in the adult, including tissue repair and regeneration, immunity, preservation of the stem cell compartment, and oncosuppression [948–957].”
  • Phagocytes might actively induce cell death to shape tissues and form functional circuits.

    “Alternatively, these phagocytes may promote cell death to sculpt tissue structures and create functional circuits (Fuchs and Steller, 2011).”

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Authors
Fuchs, Y., & Steller, H.
Affiliations
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Steller, Hermann
Venue
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-11
Volume
147
Issue
4
Pages
742-758
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2042141743
Cited by
1,915
References
211
Citations by year
2026: 79 · 2025: 122 · 2024: 188 · 2023: 166 · 2022: 153 · 2021: 204 · 2020: 146 · 2019: 129 · 2018: 135 · 2017: 106 · 2016: 129 · 2015: 123 · 2014: 91 · 2013: 85 · 2012: 55
FWCI
6.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM060124)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Cell death mechanisms and regulation
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Phagocytosis and Immune Regulation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer-related Molecular Pathways
Keywords
programmed cell death, apoptosis, animal development, tissue homeostasis, caspases, cell differentiation, tissue remodeling, stem cells, cancer, neurodegeneration, immune disorders, wound healing, tissue regeneration
MeSH terms
Animals, Humans, Morphogenesis, Neoplasms, Stem Cells, Apoptosis, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Embryonic Development

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