Efferocytosis: molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological perspectives

During the life of a human being, several tons of apoptotic cells and debris are produced. These apoptotic particles should be cleared quickly and accurately from the body, as they may lose their membrane integrity with the probability of leakage of cytotoxic materials and other intracellular antigens into the environment. The action of removing apoptotic particles occurs by a process called efferocytosis. Efferocytosis is a highly regulated balance among a set of find-me, eat-me and don't-eat-me signals. Efferocytosis is accompanied by a suppression of the immune system that can explain its negative role in cancer. Additionally, defects in this process can lead to different diseases. In this review, we aim to describe the mechanism of efferocytosis and evaluate its association with the development of autoimmune diseases, airway inflammation, atherosclerosis and cancer to open a new window for the treatment of these diseases.