Why do lack of oxygen cause cell death instead the cell ‘windingdown’ into some kind of stasis?

Question: Why do lack of oxygen cause cell death instead the cell 'windingdown' into some kind of stasis?
- Keywords:
  cell,
  death,
  oxygen,
  stasis
Asked by abpb266 to Beatrice, Charles, George, Kamal, Patricia on 18 Jan 2017.
- George Githinji answered on 18 Jan 2017:
  
  Oxygen is essential for a lot of biochemical reactions in the body. Each cell is like a small town where the different cellular components are specilized to carry out specific tasks. To carry out these tasks, they need energy, and therefore they need oxygen. Even a resting cell need energy. The brain cells require a lot of energy and oxygen and once they are starved of oxygen, they will die.

Question: Why do lack of oxygen cause cell death instead the cell 'windingdown' into some kind of stasis?