For apoptosis, the effect of efferocytosis is that dead cells are removed before their membrane integrity is breached and their contents leak into the surrounding tissue.
This prevents exposure of tissue to toxic enzymes, oxidants and other intracellular components such as proteases and caspases.
[5] Efferocytosis triggers specific downstream intracellular signal transduction pathways, for example resulting in anti-inflammatory, anti-protease and growth-promoting effects.
Conversely, impaired efferocytosis has been linked to autoimmune disease and tissue damage.
Defective efferocytosis has been demonstrated in such diseases as cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, glomerulonephritis and atherosclerosis.