Die another way

A stroke delivers a double whammy. First, cells near the clot begin to perish from necrosis, which is triggered by ATP scarcity. Later, more distant cells start dying through apoptosis. Although anti-apoptosis compounds can stem some damage, their benefits are modest, possibly because the necrosis is more devastating. Molecules to halt necrosis have proven elusive.

Ueda et al. found one such molecule in cultures of rat cortical neurons. The protein ProTα curbs necrosis in cultures that lack serum or have been oxygen deprived. But it also boosts their apoptotic death rates. Adding growth factors that...