Putting the brakes on phagocytosis: don't-eat-me signaling in physiology and disease

Timely removal of dying or pathogenic cells by phagocytes is essential to maintaining host homeostasis. Phagocytes execute the clearance process with high fidelity while sparing healthy neighboring cells, and this process is at least partially regulated by the balance of eat-me and don't-eat-me signals expressed on the surface of host cells. Upon contact, eat-me signals activate pro-phagocytic receptors expressed on the phagocyte membrane and signal to promote phagocytosis. Conversely, don't-eat-me signals engage anti-phagocytic receptors to suppress phagocytosis. We review the current knowledge of don't-eat-me signaling in normal physiology and disease contexts where aberrant don't-eat-me signaling contributes to pathology.

Automated summary

Phagocytosis plays a crucial role in maintaining host homeostasis by timely clearing dying or pathogenic cells, regulated by a balance of eat-me and don't-eat-me signals. Eat-me signals activate pro-phagocytic receptors to promote phagocytosis, while don't-eat-me signals engage anti-phagocytic receptors to suppress phagocytosis. Aberrant don't-eat-me signaling is associated with pathology in normal physiology and disease contexts.