Macrophages engulf apoptotic and primary necrotic thymocytes through similar phosphatidylserine-dependent mechanisms.

ABSTRACT: One of the major roles of professional phagocytes is the removal of dead cells in the body. We know less about the clearance of necrotic cells than apoptotic cell phagocytosis, despite the fact that both types of dead cells need to be cleared together and necrotic cells appear often in pathological settings. In the present study, we examined phagocytosis of heat- or H₂O₂-killed necrotic and apoptotic thymocytes by mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) in vitro and found that the two cell types are engulfed at equal efficiency and compete with each other when added together to BMDMs. Phagocytosis of both apoptotic and necrotic thymocytes was decreased by (a) blocking phosphatidylserine on the surface of dying cells; (b) inhibition of Mer tyrosine kinase,

SUBMITTER: Budai Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6396166 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature