Table 1.

Comparison between morphological features of type I, type II, and type III cell death.

Parameter	Apoptotic cell death	Autophagic cell death (autosis)	Necrotic cell death (including necroptosis)
Plasma membrane	Preserved, blebbing	Rupture in late phase, sometimes blebbing	Rupture early
Nucleus	Compaction, pyknosis late: fragmentation (karyorrhexis)	Minor changes autosis: focal concavity, dilatation of perinuclear space	Dilatation of nuclear membrane
Chromatin	Margination, condensation	Minor/mild condensation	Mild-moderate condensation and clumping
Mitochondria	Normal	Mild dilatation, autosis: abnormal internal structure late: depletion	Swelling
Cytoplasm	Shrinkage	Vacuolization, i.e., numerous autophagosomes and Autolysosomes; autosis: ER fragmentation and depletion	Minor
Other	Rounding of cells and detachment from surface, apoptotic bodies including fragments of chromatin, and preserved organelles	Autosis: membrane bound densities in perinuclear space, increased cell surface adhesion	Cell and organelle swelling

Summary based on Kerr et al. (1972), Kerr et al. (1994), Savitz and Rosenbaum (1998), Liu and Levine (2015), Leist and Jäättelä (2001), Galluzzi et al. (2015).