You can configure your email as you prefer. However, there are basically four main types of mail accounts, namely, POP3, forwarding, aliases and autoresponders.
POP3 accounts are the conventional inboxes. That is a space where you receive mail. you may read the mails after logging into your account with a username and a password. Each login and password combination usually relates to one account.
Forwarding mail accounts are useful for redirecting your emails to a common POP3 account.
Aliases are names that can be used to identify different types of e-mail accounts redirecting them to them to POP3 mailboxes or other addresses. A catch all alias is often used to collect and deal with email sent to people or departments not recognised by your mail server.
Autoresponder is not an e-mail account in its real sense. But it has its own e-mail address and it simply sends standard replies to e-mails seeking information.
Also Check: Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP 3)