Apoptotic Cells, at All Stages of the Death Process, Trigger Characteristic Signaling Events That Are Divergent from and Dominant over Those Triggered by Necrotic Cells

Current models of autoimmunity suggest that delayed clearance of apoptotic cells leads to the presentation of apoptotic antigens in the context of inflammatory signals, with resultant autoimmunity. These models implicitly assume that, in contrast to early apoptotic cells (that retain membrane integrity), late apoptotic cells (with compromised membranes) act like necrotic cells (which also lack intact membranes), possibly because of the release...