Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Strategies for Tracking Anastasis, A Cell Survival Phenomenon that Reverses Apoptosis
Published on: February 16, 2015
A nonapoptotic cell death process, entosis, that occurs by cell-in-cell invasion
Michael Overholtzer1, Arnaud A Mailleux, Ghassan Mouneimne
1Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Abstract:
Epithelial cells require attachment to extracellular matrix (ECM) to suppress an apoptotic cell death program termed anoikis. Here we describe a nonapoptotic cell death program in matrix-detached cells that is initiated by a previously unrecognized and unusual process involving the invasion of one cell into another, leading to a transient state in which a live cell is contained within a neighboring host cell. Live internalized cells are either degraded by lysosomal enzymes or released. We term this cell internalization process entosis and present evidence for entosis as a mechanism underlying the commonly observed "cell-in-cell" cytological feature in human cancers. Further we propose that entosis is driven by compaction force associated with adherens junction formation in the absence of integrin engagement and may represent an intrinsic tumor suppression mechanism for cells that are detached from ECM.
Related Concept Videos
Phagocytosis
Phagocytosis
The objective of phagocytosis is often destruction. Cells use phagocytosis to eliminate unwelcome visitors, like pathogens (e.g., viruses and bacteria). Many immune system cells, including...
Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
Overview of Cell Death
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...
Autophagic Cell Death
Autophagy and Apoptosis
Autophagy can activate apoptosis. In normal conditions, the autophagy activating protein Beclin-1 and pro-apoptotic...
Necrosis
Morphological Manifestations of Necrosis
Necrotic cells show different types of morphological appearance depending on the type of tissue and infection. In coagulative necrosis, cells become anucleated and die, but their...

