Figure 3.

The main signaling pathways of eryptosis. Different inducers of eryptosis either lead to opening of cation channels and subsequent entry of Ca²⁺, activation of protein kinase C and subsequent opening of cation channels, activation of sphingomyelinase (SMase) and subsequent generation of ceramide, or clustering of death receptors (Fas) and subsequent activation of caspases. Ca²⁺ and ceramide combine to induce phosphatidylserine exposure and erythrocyte shrinkage, whereas the activation of proteases (caspases and calpain) leads to rearrangement of the cytoskeleton.