Cellular response that seals ruptures in the plasma membrane in order to maintain homeostasis and prevent death.

A cell’s viability depends directly on the integrity of its plasma membrane and its ability to repair it after rupture events. Pathogenic microorganisms secrete powerful virulence factors, such as toxins, which bind to target cells, forming pores in the plasma membrane. In response, proteins from the cytoskeleton (e.g. actin) and the extracellular matrix (e.g. cadherin) work in concert to resist these injuries, thus representing a mechanism of resistance to cell death.