Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2002 Dec;2(12):965-75.
doi: 10.1038/nri957.

A blast from the past: clearance of apoptotic cells regulates immune responses

John Savill  1 , Ian Dransfield, Chris Gregory, Chris Haslett
Affiliations
Review

A blast from the past: clearance of apoptotic cells regulates immune responses

John Savill et al. Nat Rev Immunol. 2002 Dec.

Abstract

Apoptosis, which is a programmed and physiological form of cell death, is known to shape the immune system by regulating populations of effector lymphocytes. However, the binding and ingestion of dying cells by monocytes/macrophages and dendritic cells can also influence immune responses markedly by enhancing or suppressing inflammation. Therefore, dead cells, which are a reflection of an organism's immediate past, can control its immunological future.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types