Apoptosis, Oncosis, and Necrosis

Abstract

The historical development of the ceU death con- cept is reviewed, with special attention to the ori- gin of the terms necrosis, coagulation necrosis, autolysis,physiologicalceUdeath,programmed ceUdeath,chromatolysis(thefirstname ofap- optosis in 1914), karyorhexis, karyolysis, and ceU suicide, of which there are threeforms: by lysosomes, by free radicals, and by a genetic mechanism (apoptosis). Some ofthe typicalfea- tures ofapoptosis are discussed, such as bud- ding(asopposedtoblebbingandzeiosis)andthe infZammatory response. For ceU death not by ap- optosis the most satisfactory term is accidental ceU death. Necrosis is commonly used but itis not appropriate, because itdoes not indicate aform of ceU death but refers to changes secondary to ceU death by any mechanism, including apopto- sis.Abundant data are available on oneform of accidentalceUldeath,namelyischemicceUdeath, which can be considered an entity of its own, caused by failure of the ionic pumps of the plasma membrane. Because ischemic ceU death (in known models) is accompanied by sweUing, the name oncosis isproposedfor this condition. The term oncosis (derivedfrom 6nkos, meaning swelling) was proposed in 1910 by von Reckling- hausenpreciselytomean ceUdeathwithsweUing. Oncosis leads to necrosis with karyolysis and stands in contrast to apoptosis, which leads to necrosis with karyorhexis and ceU shrink- age. (AmJPathol1995,146:3-15)