Efferocytosis in health and disease

The clearance of apoptotic cells by professional and non-professional phagocytes — a process termed ‘efferocytosis’ — is essential for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Accordingly, defective efferocytosis underlies a growing list of chronic inflammatory diseases. Although much has been learnt about the mechanisms of apoptotic cell recognition and uptake, several key areas remain incompletely understood. This Review focuses on new discoveries related to how phagocytes process the metabolic cargo they receive during apoptotic cell uptake; the links between efferocytosis and the resolution of inflammation in health and disease; and the roles of efferocytosis in host defence. Understanding these aspects of efferocytosis sheds light on key physiological and pathophysiological processes and suggests novel therapeutic strategies for diseases driven by defective efferocytosis and impaired inflammation resolution. Clearing away dead cells — a process known as efferocytosis — is crucial for normal tissue homeostasis and is impaired in several pathological processes. This Review describes new insights into how efferocytes deal with the engulfed dead cell cargo, how efferocytosis supports the resolution of inflammation and how this understanding is informing new therapeutic strategies.