Cell death can be driven by a genetically programmed signalling pathway known as programmed cell death (PCD). In plants, PCD occurs during development as well as in response to environmental and biotic stimuli. Our understanding of PCD regulation in plants has advanced significantly over the past two decades; however, the molecular machinery responsible for driving the system remains elusive. Thus, whether conserved PCD regulatory mechanisms include plant apoptosis (植物细胞凋亡) remains enigmatic (令人困惑的). Animal apoptotic regulators, including Bcl-2 family members, have not been identified in plants but expression of such regulators can trigger or suppress plant PCD. Moreover, plants exhibit nearly all of the biochemical and morphological (形态学的) features of apoptosis. One difference between plant and animal PCD is the absence of phagocytosis (吞噬作用) in plants. Evidence is emerging that the vacuole (液泡) may be key to removal of unwanted plant cells, and may carry out functions that are analogous (相似的) to animal phagocytosis. Here, we provide context for the argument that apoptotic-like cell death occurs in plants.

研究方向：真菌-植物相互作用。

Published online: September 25, 2017.