Based on the biological and immunological results in 40 studies, it is indicated that acupuncture could regulate the expression of Bcl-2/Bax, caspase family, Fas/FasL, c-Fos, TNF-α, and NFκB, which modulated cell apoptosis and autophagy to reduce cell death (TUNEL assay or other tests, p < 0.05 or 0.01) in different pathological states especially ischemic stroke. Here, TNF is linked to ischemic stroke.