This question of whether fungi undergo apoptosis-like programmed cell death can be separated into two questions. One question is about applying the term “apoptosis” to fungi, and the other is a more challenging question of whether fungi have evolved mechanisms that inflict self-injury. ABSTRACT This question of whether fungi undergo apoptosis-like programmed cell death can be separated into two questions. One question is about applying the term "apoptosis" to fungi, and the other is a more challenging question of whether fungi have evolved mechanisms that inflict self-injury. The answers to both questions depend on the definitions applied to “apoptosis” and “programmed cell death.” Considering how these and other cell death terms originated and are currently defined for animals, some confusion arises when the terms are applied to fungi. While it is difficult to defend the concept of fungal apoptosis, the more interesting issue is whether fungi will eventually be found to encode programmed or extemporaneous self-destructive processes, as suggested by intriguing new findings.
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