Apoptotic cells (AC)

Apoptotic cells are cells undergoing programmed cell death (apoptosis), a highly regulated and non-inflammatory biological process essential for development and tissue homeostasis. These cells exhibit unique morphological and biochemical features, such as cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and the translocation of phosphatidylserine (PS) from the inner to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane, which serves as a critical "eat-me" signal for phagocytic clearance (efferocytosis). In therapeutic contexts, apoptotic cells are rarely targeted as a single molecule; instead, they represent a cellular state that is either induced to eliminate cancer cells or utilized as a therapeutic agent to restore immune balance. For example, BCL-2 inhibitors like venetoclax trigger apoptosis in malignant cells, while cell-based therapies like Allocetra use donor-derived apoptotic cells to reprogram macrophages and suppress hyper-inflammation in conditions such as sepsis and osteoarthritis. Additionally, the molecular markers exposed on these cells, particularly phosphatidylserine, serve as anchors for targeted antibodies and diagnostic imaging probes.

Other names

Dying cellsProgrammed cell death cellsEarly apoptotic cellsLate apoptotic cellsApoptotic bodiesApoBDs

Drugs targeting apoptotic cells typically function by inducing their formation (pro-apoptotic agents in cancer), binding to surface markers to modulate the immune response or deliver cargo (e.g., anti-phosphatidylserine antibodies), or utilizing apoptotic cells themselves as a therapeutic agent to reprogram macrophages into a pro-homeostatic state (efferocytosis-driven immune modulation).