Two different forms of death are commonly observed when Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(Mtb)-infected macrophages die:(i) necrosis, a death modality defined by cell lysis and (ii)
apoptosis, a form of death that maintains an intact plasma membrane. Necrosis is a
mechanism used by bacteria to exit the macrophage, evade host defenses, and spread. In
contrast, apoptosis of infected macrophages is associated with diminished pathogen
viability. Apoptosis occurs when tumor necrosis factor activates the extrinsic death domain …