UC Irvine

Cell death is, perhaps paradoxically, essential for life. This is particularly so for multicellular organisms, where cell death plays crucial roles in regulating embryonic development, tissue homeostasis, immune function, tumor suppression, and infection resistance. Much of what is known about cell death has been developed through studies in the last two decades, an era that has witnessed an explosion of publication in the area of programmed cell death (PCD). In this Grand Challenges monograph, I provide a short background on what we've learned thus far. I will then highlight areas that are likely to be of strong focus in the future, focusing primarily on distinct forms of PCD including caspase-dependent apoptosis, programmed necrosis/necroptosis, and autophagic cell death. The relevance of these cell death pathways to disease is described, and the potential that manipulation of these pathways may be the key to treating such diseases is considered. My intent is not to provide an encyclopedic review of the field, a task that would likely fill many volumes. Instead, I wish to highlight areas that are likely to be relevant to our mission as we christen a new Frontiers Specialty area, Frontiers in Cell Death and Survival.