Macrophage Phagocytic Function

The term phagocytosis is formed form the Greek words "phagein" meaning to eat, "kytos" or cell and "osis" which means process. Phagocytosis is the term used to describe the engulfing and destroying of defective or microbial cells.

Apoptotic cells are recognized and rapidly removed by professional phagocytes via processes such as recognition, engulfment and degradation.

In order to characterize the mechanisms by which phagocytes control the intake and digestion of apoptotic cells, we investigated how to regulate the appetite for and disposal of the engulfed cells. 

After that, we aim to exploit macrophage phagocytic function for cancer therapy.