title: Death in the CNS: six-microns-under.
abstract: During embryonic development, large numbers of apoptotic cells are rapidly cleared by phagocytes. In this issue, Kurant et al. (2008) describe a new phagocytic receptor, called six-microns-under (SIMU), that promotes engulfment of apoptotic neurons by glial cells in the developing nervous system of Drosophila.
authors.affiliation: Carter Immunology Center and the Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: Kodi S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ravichandran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002490:Central Nervous System; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D010587:Phagocytosis
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C529006:NimC4 protein, Drosophila