Change in Mitochondria is Critical for Clearing Dead Cells

New findings by Dr. Ira Tabas's team could help researchers improve the appetite of the eating cells

April 4, 2018
Tabas image - A macrophage ingests a dead cell

Professional eating cells in the body gorge themselves on dead cells in the body, but they lose their appetite when they cannot split their mitochondria, researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have found. The new findings could help researchers improve the appetite of the eating cells, which play a critical role in such chronic diseases as heart disease, lupus, and chronic lung disease.

Every second in the human body, 1 million cells in the human body die and are devoured by other cells. Dead cells must be cleared before they leak their contents and cause inflammation and tissue damage.

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Tags

Research, Cell Biology, Atherosclerosis