Find-me and eat-me signals in apoptotic cell clearance: progress and conundrums

KS Ravichandran - Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2010 - rupress.org
Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2010rupress.org
Everyday we turnover billions of cells. The quick, efficient, and immunologically silent
disposal of the dying cells requires a coordinated orchestration of multiple steps, through
which phagocytes selectively recognize and engulf apoptotic cells. Recent studies have
suggested an important role for soluble mediators released by apoptotic cells that attract
phagocytes (“find-me” signals). New information has also emerged on multiple receptors
that can recognize phosphatidylserine, the key “eat-me” signal exposed on the surface of …
Everyday we turnover billions of cells. The quick, efficient, and immunologically silent disposal of the dying cells requires a coordinated orchestration of multiple steps, through which phagocytes selectively recognize and engulf apoptotic cells. Recent studies have suggested an important role for soluble mediators released by apoptotic cells that attract phagocytes (“find-me” signals). New information has also emerged on multiple receptors that can recognize phosphatidylserine, the key “eat-me” signal exposed on the surface of apoptotic cells. This perspective discusses recent exciting progress, gaps in our understanding, and the conflicting issues that arise from the newly acquired knowledge.
rupress.org