User:Cellife/Find-me signals

Find-me signals

Cells destined for apoptosis release molecules referred to as find me signals. These signal molecules are used to attract phagocytes which engulf and eliminate damaged cells. Find-me signals are typically released by the apoptotic cells while the cell membrane remains intact. This ensures that the phagocytic cells are able to remove the dying cells before their membranes are compromised. A leaky membrane leads to secondary necrosis which may cause additional inflammation, therefore, it is best to remove dying cells before this occurs. One cell is capable of releasing multiple find-me signals. Should a cell lack the ability to release its find-me signal, other cells may release additional find-me signals to overcome the discrepancy.

Additional roles of Find-me signals

Inflammation can be suppressed by find-me signals during cell clearance. A phagocyte may also be able to engulf more material or enhance its ability to engulf materials when stimulated by find-me signals.

Currently known find-me signals

The nucleotides: adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate(ADP), uridine triphosphate (UTP) and uridine diphosphate (UDP); the lipids: lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P); and the proteins (or peptides): fractalkine (CX3CL1), interleukin-8 (IL-8), complement components C3a and C5a, split tyrosyl tRNA synthetase (mini TyrRS), dimerised ribosomal protein S19 (RP S19), endothelial monocyte-activating polypeptide II (EMAP II) and formyl peptides (including N-formylmethionine-leucyl-phenylalanine, fMLP).