Live and let die: analyzing ultrastructural features in cell death

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Pathology

Background:

• Cell death is crucial for development and tissue health, with dysregulation linked to diseases.
• Diverse cell death pathways exist, each with unique molecular and ultrastructural characteristics.
• Current research often lacks ultrastructural data, despite its importance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and illustrate the ultrastructural features of various cell death types using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
• To emphasize the value of TEM in distinguishing between different cell death mechanisms based on morphology.

Main Methods:

• Compilation of original transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images.
• Detailed description of ultrastructural changes associated with distinct cell death programs.
• Analysis of morphological criteria for differentiating cell death types.

Main Results:

• Presents a visual gallery of TEM images showcasing cell death ultrastructure.
• Illustrates characteristic morphological changes in organelles and cell structures for necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy, mitotic catastrophe, ferroptosis, methuosis, and paraptosis.
• Highlights TEM's capability to identify distinct ultrastructural hallmarks for each cell death type.

Conclusions:

• Transmission electron microscopy remains a vital tool for cell death research.
• Ultrastructural analysis via TEM provides critical morphological criteria for classifying cell death pathways.
• Integrating TEM data enhances the understanding of cell death mechanisms and their implications in disease.