细胞凋亡曾被认为是唯一的程序性细胞死亡方式，而坏死是不受信号调控的。但越来越多的证据表明，某些类型的细胞坏死也可受到信号分子的调控，称为程序性细胞坏死，并发现其在免疫功能调控、炎症、感染性疾病中发挥重要作用。本文对程序性细胞坏死的形态特征和信号转导通路及其与免疫系统功能、炎症反应的关系等方面的研究进展作一综述。

It was believed that apoptosis was the only programmed cell death in the development and homeostasis of vertebrate. Meanwhile, necrosis was considered to be un­programmed. However, growing evidences have demonstrated that some types of necrosis can also be regulated by signaling molecules, and these types of necrosis could be defined as programmed necrosis or necroptosis. In this review, the morphological characteristics of necroptosis, and the relationships between necroptotic signaling pathway and the immune system’s function and inflammatory response are summarized.