Calcium oxalate stones are the most common type of kidney stones in China.The injury and death of renal tubular epithelial cells induced by hyperoxaluria or calcium oxalate crystals are the key factors in the formation of calcium oxalate stones.Renal tubular epithelial cell death can provide attachment sites for calcium oxalate crystals,being part of the composition of stones and aggravate tissue damage.Multiple cell programmed death patterns can participate in cell injury and regulate the intersection to achieve multi-level regulation.This article summarized and discussed the relationship between renal tubular epithelial cell programmed death and the mechanism of calcium oxalate stone formation,and the related research of different programmed cell death patterns involved in the pathogenesis of calcium oxalate stones in recent years.