The macrophage haunted by cell ghosts: a pathogen grows

Apoptosis is induced ill the course of immune responses ro infectious agent s. The last step of apoptosis is recognition ann ingestion of the dying cel ls by phagocytes. Here, Marcela F. Lopes and colleagues discuss recent stud ies ann argue that phagocytosis of apoptotic cells plays a previously unrec ognized role in regulating the nature of immune responses against pathogens .