How dying cells alert the immune system to danger

To avoid potential damage to the host, an inflammatory response is rapidly mobilized on detection of intracellular signals that are released from dying cells. Much has been learned about these 'danger' signals, but several key issues remain unresolved, as discussed by the authors. When a cell dies in vivo, the event does not go unnoticed. The host has evolved mechanisms to detect the death of cells and rapidly investigate the nature of their...