Age-related blunting of the phagocyte arsenal and its art of killing

Phagocytosis is one of the integral parts of the host defense mechanism employed against invading pathogens. Cells which can sense and identify a pathogenic signal and can clear it by virtue of phagocytosis-dependent cell killing are known as phagocytes. Another important function of phagocytes is the removal of apoptotic cells, crucial for maintaining tissue homeostasis. However, these essential functions of phagocytes declined with age, leading toward age-dependent immune dysfunction. In this article, we have reviewed a detailed mechanistic approach of the phagocytosis process, in the context of the age-dependent alterations of this phenomenon.