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