What are the differences between autophagy and necroptosis?

Question

Accepted Answer

Basis of differentiation

Autophagy

Necroptosis

Definition

Is the body’s cellular recycling system in which the cell disassembles defective or non-functional parts, repurposing the salvageable fragments into new, usable cell parts while discarding the unnecessary pieces

Is a caspase-independent, regulated form of necrosis in which cellular self-destruction is triggered when apoptosis (programmed cell death) is prevented

Induction stimuli

Starvation
Growth factor deprivation 
Chemotherapy
Hypoxia

Radiation
Endogenous or pathological factors
Viral or chemical exposure

Process

May be physiological, pathophysiological, or active

Mostly passive, always pathological

Morphological changes

Vacuolization
Mass degradation of proteins and organelles

Loss of membrane integrity 
Swelling of cells and organelles

Molecular changes

Lysosomal activity 
Lipidation of LC3I to LIC3II 
Degradation of p62/SQSTM1

Random
degradation of DNA
Acidosis
Release of cellular protein

Clearance

Occurs by cannibalization of cells and recycling reusable contents for survival of the tissue

Occurs by macrophages ingesting the necrotic cells accompanied by significant inflammation

Basis of differentiation	Autophagy	Necroptosis
Definition	Is the body’s cellular recycling system in which the cell disassembles defective or non-functional parts, repurposing the salvageable fragments into new, usable cell parts while discarding the unnecessary pieces	Is a caspase-independent, regulated form of necrosis in which cellular self-destruction is triggered when apoptosis (programmed cell death) is prevented
Induction stimuli	Starvation Growth factor deprivation Chemotherapy Hypoxia	Radiation Endogenous or pathological factors Viral or chemical exposure
Process	May be physiological, pathophysiological, or active	Mostly passive, always pathological
Morphological changes	Vacuolization Mass degradation of proteins and organelles	Loss of membrane integrity Swelling of cells and organelles
Molecular changes	Lysosomal activity Lipidation of LC3I to LIC3II Degradation of p62/SQSTM1	Random degradation of DNA Acidosis Release of cellular protein
Clearance	Occurs by cannibalization of cells and recycling reusable contents for survival of the tissue	Occurs by macrophages ingesting the necrotic cells accompanied by significant inflammation

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