Cell Death in the IPLB-LdFB Insect Cell Line: Facts and Implications

The present review summarizes findings on stress-induced cell death in the IPLB-LdFB insect cell line derived from the larval fat body of the lepidopteron Lymantria dispar. Apoptotic, oncotic and autophagic cell death have been described in these cells as a consequence of oxidative stress or ATP deprivation, and similarities between IPLB-LdFB and mammalian apoptotic pathways have been highlighted. Furthermore, starting from observations in the IPLB-LdFB cells, a link has been surmised between relevance of autophagic cell death and developmental processes in the metazoan taxa.