RECOGNITION OF APOPTOTIC CELLS BY PHAGOCYTES

Effective removal of dying cells is crucial to a variety of processes in health and disease. Cells undergoing apoptosis are recognized and i ngested intact by phagocytes, which are not stimulated to release infl ammatory mediators. The alternative uncontrolled form of cell death, n ecrosis, is associated with release of cell contents with the potentia l to cause tissue damage and inflammation. Four distinct molecular mec hanisms have been identified td date which mediate recognition by phag ocytes of mammalian cells undergoing apoptosis, but further mechanisms remain to be discovered. The capacity for phagocyte removal of cells undergoing apoptosis may be closely regulated, for example by local cy tokines.