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Applications of low energy non-ionizing irradiation result in
non-lethal and lethal effects in cells, tissues and intact
individuals. The effects of these applications depend on the physical parameters of the applied energies, the mechanisms
of interaction of these energies on the target and the biologic status of the target. Recently, cell death has been found not
to be a random accident of situation or age but a range of complicated physiological responses to various extrinsic and
intrinsic events some of which are genetically programmed and/ or physiologically regulated. Therefore, cell death has
been classified into three general groups: 1) Programmed cell death including apoptosis and necroptosis, cornefication
and autophagy; 2) Accidental (traumatic) cell death due to the direct, immediate effects of the lethal event and 3)
Necrotic cell death which is, by default, all cell death not associated with programmed or accidental cell death. Lethal
low energy non-ionizing application biologic effects involve mechanisms of all three groups as compared to high energy
applications that predominantly involve the mechanisms of accidental cell death. Currently, the mechanisms of all these
modes of cell death are being vigorously investigated. As research and development of new low energy applications
continues, the need to understand the mechanisms of cell death that they produce will be critical to the rational creation
of safe, yet effective instruments.
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