Abstract
Various forms of cell death have been identified, and billions of cells die during development and daily in adult organisms. Clearing dead cells and associated cellular debris is an integral part of tissue homeostasis. While diverse types of phagocytes remove various forms of dying cells during acute kidney injury (AKI), it remains unknown whether boosting removal of a specific form of dying cell would provide a benefit and which cell type should be targeted for phagocytosis-mediated therapy. As there is a lack of viable strategies for the prevention and treatment of AKI, novel therapies and innovative approaches are required. There is a strong demand on developing and analyzing novel models to boost, monitor, and stop phagocytosis of dying cells.