Mechanisms and Significance of Phagocytic Elimination of Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Death

• Published in: Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin Vol. 40; no. 11; pp. 1819 - 1827
• Main Authors: Nonaka, Saori, Shiratsuchi, Akiko, Nagaosa, Kaz, Nakanishi, Yoshinobu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan 2017; Pharmaceutical Society of Japan; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Actin Cytoskeleton - physiology; Animals; Antigen Presentation - physiology; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - physiology; Homeostasis; Humans; innate immunity; Malfunctions; Medical phenomena; Morphogenesis; Morphogenesis - physiology; Phagocytes; Phagocytes - physiology; Phagocytosis; Phagocytosis - physiology; Phosphatidylserines - physiology; signal transduction; Signal Transduction - physiology; Structure-function relationships; tissue homeostasis; phagocytosis; apoptosis; innate immunity; signal transduction; tissue homeostasis
• ISSN: 0918-6158; 1347-5215
• DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b17-00478

Cells that have become unwanted by the body need to be selectively, rapidly, and safely removed. The removal of these cells is achieved by apoptosis-dependent phagocytosis: unwanted cells are induced to undergo apoptosis and given susceptibility to phagocytosis. Phagocytes recognize these cells using engulfment receptors that bind substances expressed on the surface of target cells during the apoptotic process. The phagocytic elimination of cells undergoing apoptosis is a mechanism that is conserved among multicellular organisms. Malfunctions in this process may lead to structural and functional defects in morphogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Therefore, molecules involved in this phenomenon may be targeted in medical treatments. The mechanisms responsible for the apoptosis-dependent phagocytosis of unwanted cells as well as its physiological and pathological consequences are described herein.