Macrophage surface and phagocytic machinery

The macrophage surface and phagocytic machinery refers to the integrated system of receptors and signaling pathways that mediate the recognition and engulfment of target particles, such as pathogens and apoptotic cells (PMID: 29083588). This machinery is governed by a balance of "eat me" signals, like calreticulin, and "don't eat me" signals, most notably the CD47-SIRPα axis (PMID: 22119904). In many cancers, tumor cells overexpress CD47 to evade macrophage-mediated destruction, effectively "cloaking" themselves from the immune system. Therapeutic strategies targeting this machinery, such as Magrolimab, aim to block these inhibitory interactions to restore the phagocytic capacity of macrophages against malignant cells (PMID: 30612867). Beyond oncology, the phagocytic machinery is essential for tissue remodeling and the resolution of inflammation by clearing cellular debris and preventing the release of pro-inflammatory intracellular contents (PMID: 31043704).

Other names

Phagocytic apparatusMacrophage phagocytic systemPhagocytic synapse

Modulation of pro-phagocytic (eat-me) and anti-phagocytic (don't-eat-me) signaling pathways to enhance the clearance of target cells or pathogens (PMID: 30612867).