Necrosome

The necrosome is a critical, multi-protein signaling complex that serves as the central platform for initiating and executing necroptosis, a highly inflammatory form of programmed cell death. Unlike apoptosis, which is typically immunologically silent, necroptosis is characterized by cellular swelling, permeabilization of the plasma membrane, and the release of intracellular contents, including various danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pro-inflammatory cytokines. This lytic cell death mechanism actively fuels inflammation and contributes to host defense against certain pathogens, but also plays a significant role in various inflammatory and degenerative diseases.