Eryptosis: Programmed Death of Nucleus-Free, Iron-Filled Blood Cells
Human erythrocytes are organelle-free cells packaged with iron-containing hemoglobin, specializing in the transport of oxygen. With a total number of approximately 25 trillion cells per individual, the erythrocyte is the most abundant cell type not only in blood but in the whole organism. Despite th...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/3/503 |
| _version_ | 1797488470143270912 |
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| author | Peter Dreischer Michael Duszenko Jasmin Stein Thomas Wieder |
| author_facet | Peter Dreischer Michael Duszenko Jasmin Stein Thomas Wieder |
| author_sort | Peter Dreischer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human erythrocytes are organelle-free cells packaged with iron-containing hemoglobin, specializing in the transport of oxygen. With a total number of approximately 25 trillion cells per individual, the erythrocyte is the most abundant cell type not only in blood but in the whole organism. Despite their low complexity and their inability to transcriptionally upregulate antioxidant defense mechanisms, they display a relatively long life time, of 120 days. This ensures the maintenance of tissue homeostasis where the clearance of old or damaged erythrocytes is kept in balance with erythropoiesis. Whereas the regulatory mechanisms of erythropoiesis have been elucidated over decades of intensive research, the understanding of the mechanisms of erythrocyte clearance still requires some refinement. Here, we present the main pathways leading to eryptosis, the programmed death of erythrocytes, with special emphasis on Ca<sup>2+</sup> influx, the generation of ceramide, oxidative stress, kinase activation, and iron metabolism. We also compare stress-induced erythrocyte death with erythrocyte ageing and clearance, and discuss the similarities between eryptosis and ferroptosis, the iron-dependent regulated death of nucleated blood cells. Finally, we focus on the pathologic consequences of deranged eryptosis, and discuss eryptosis in the context of different infectious diseases, e.g., viral or parasitic infections, and hematologic disorders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:03:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb3f55088682445bb411c1cc3b98a15a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:03:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb3f55088682445bb411c1cc3b98a15a2023-11-23T16:13:03ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092022-02-0111350310.3390/cells11030503Eryptosis: Programmed Death of Nucleus-Free, Iron-Filled Blood CellsPeter Dreischer0Michael Duszenko1Jasmin Stein2Thomas Wieder3Abteilung für Vegetative und Klinische Physiologie, Physiologisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, GermanyInterfakultäres Institut für Biochemie, Universität Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyInterfakultäres Institut für Biochemie, Universität Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyAbteilung für Vegetative und Klinische Physiologie, Physiologisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, GermanyHuman erythrocytes are organelle-free cells packaged with iron-containing hemoglobin, specializing in the transport of oxygen. With a total number of approximately 25 trillion cells per individual, the erythrocyte is the most abundant cell type not only in blood but in the whole organism. Despite their low complexity and their inability to transcriptionally upregulate antioxidant defense mechanisms, they display a relatively long life time, of 120 days. This ensures the maintenance of tissue homeostasis where the clearance of old or damaged erythrocytes is kept in balance with erythropoiesis. Whereas the regulatory mechanisms of erythropoiesis have been elucidated over decades of intensive research, the understanding of the mechanisms of erythrocyte clearance still requires some refinement. Here, we present the main pathways leading to eryptosis, the programmed death of erythrocytes, with special emphasis on Ca<sup>2+</sup> influx, the generation of ceramide, oxidative stress, kinase activation, and iron metabolism. We also compare stress-induced erythrocyte death with erythrocyte ageing and clearance, and discuss the similarities between eryptosis and ferroptosis, the iron-dependent regulated death of nucleated blood cells. Finally, we focus on the pathologic consequences of deranged eryptosis, and discuss eryptosis in the context of different infectious diseases, e.g., viral or parasitic infections, and hematologic disorders.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/3/503anaerobic metabolismanemiacell volumecytoskeletonDNA damageoxidative stress |
| spellingShingle | Peter Dreischer Michael Duszenko Jasmin Stein Thomas Wieder Eryptosis: Programmed Death of Nucleus-Free, Iron-Filled Blood Cells Cells anaerobic metabolism anemia cell volume cytoskeleton DNA damage oxidative stress |
| title | Eryptosis: Programmed Death of Nucleus-Free, Iron-Filled Blood Cells |
| title_full | Eryptosis: Programmed Death of Nucleus-Free, Iron-Filled Blood Cells |
| title_fullStr | Eryptosis: Programmed Death of Nucleus-Free, Iron-Filled Blood Cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Eryptosis: Programmed Death of Nucleus-Free, Iron-Filled Blood Cells |
| title_short | Eryptosis: Programmed Death of Nucleus-Free, Iron-Filled Blood Cells |
| title_sort | eryptosis programmed death of nucleus free iron filled blood cells |
| topic | anaerobic metabolism anemia cell volume cytoskeleton DNA damage oxidative stress |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/3/503 |
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