What do we mean when we write "senescence," "apoptosis," "necrosis," or "clearance of dying cells"?

Abstract

The clearance of dying cells has become an important field of research. Apart from a significant increase in our understanding of the mechanisms for uptake, cell clearance is a basic mechanism in tissue homeostasis, cancer, resolution of inflammation, induction of tolerance, and autoimmunity. Phagocytosis of dying cells is a complex process, involving many interacting molecules on the dying cell and the phagocyte, and in the microenvironment. Although much is known on the subject, there are many questions and unknown variables that remain under investigation. Naturally, different terms were developed, among which some are misused, leading sometimes to pseudoconflicts of understanding. Several receptors were described as "phosphatidylserine receptor: are they all equal?" We will revise terms such as apoptosis, primary and secondary necrosis, lysed cells, senescent cells, clearance of apoptotic cells, efferocytosis, and more. We will try to point out misnomers, misunderstandings, and contradictions, and to define a consensual vocabulary.

• Authors: Dror Mevorach, Uriel Trahtemberg, Alon Krispin, Mizhir Attalah, Jonathan Zazoun, Adi Tabib, Amir Grau, Inna Verbovetski-Reiner
• Journal: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Ann N Y Acad Sci) Vol. 1209 Pg. 1-9 (Oct 2010) ISSN: 1749-6632 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20958309 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2010 New York Academy of Sciences.

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis
• Autophagy
• Cellular Senescence
• Humans
• Necrosis