Analysis of Efferocytic Receptor Dynamics and Synapse Formation in a Frustrated Efferocytosis Model

Brandon H Dickson; Bryan Heit

doi:10.1007/978-1-0716-3338-0_5

Analysis of Efferocytic Receptor Dynamics and Synapse Formation in a Frustrated Efferocytosis Model

Methods Mol Biol. 2023:2692:61-77. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3338-0_5.

Authors

Brandon H Dickson¹, Bryan Heit^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
² Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and The Western Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada. bheit@uwo.ca.
³ Robarts Research Institute, London, ON, Canada. bheit@uwo.ca.

PMID: 37365461
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3338-0_5

Abstract

Efferocytes express multiple receptors that mediate the recognition and engulfment of apoptotic cells through a process known as efferocytosis. Ligation of these receptors induces the formation of a structured efferocytic synapse that mediates the engulfment of the apoptotic cell by the efferocyte. The lateral diffusion of these receptors allows for clustering-mediated receptor activation and is central for the formation of the efferocytic synapse. This chapter describes a single particle tracking protocol to analyze the diffusion of efferocytic receptors within a frustrated efferocytosis model. This enables high-resolution tracking of efferocytic receptors throughout synapse formation, allowing the user to simultaneously quantify synapse formation and the dynamics of receptor diffusion as the efferocytic synapse evolves.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Diffusion; Efferocytosis; Frustrated efferocytosis; Phagocytosis; Single particle tracking.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Apoptosis
Macrophages*
Phagocytosis* / physiology

Grants and funding

CIHR/Canada