Fig. 1.

Molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and subsequent plasma membrane rupture. It can occur via two primary pathways: the extrinsic pathway, which relies on transporters such as activating TFRC or inhibiting system xc-, and the intrinsic pathway, which is enzyme-regulated, for example, by inhibiting GPX4 or AIFM2. Ferroptosis arises from an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants, driven by abnormal expression and activity of various redox-active enzymes that either produce or neutralize free radicals and lipid oxidation products. The plasma membrane damage can be repaired by the NINJ1 protein or ESCRT-III machinery