title: An Apoptotic 'Eat Me' Signal: Phosphatidylserine Exposure.
abstract: Apoptosis and the clearance of apoptotic cells are essential processes in animal development and homeostasis. For apoptotic cells to be cleared, they must display an 'eat me' signal, most likely phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) exposure, which prompts phagocytes to engulf the cells. PtdSer, which is recognized by several different systems, is normally confined to the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane by a 'flippase'; apoptosis activates a 'scramblase' that quickly exposes PtdSer on the cell surface. The molecules that flip and scramble phospholipids at the plasma membrane have recently been identified. Here we discuss recent findings regarding the molecular mechanisms of apoptotic PtdSer exposure and the clearance of apoptotic cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsumori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Segawa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Immunology, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamada-oka, Suita 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: snagata@ifrec.osaka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shigekazu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010718:Phosphatidylserines
keywords: apoptosis; flippase; phagocytosis; phosphatidylserine; scramblase