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Efferocytosis: Macrophage Clearance Race Against Secondary Necrosis

Interactive 3D efferocytosis simulator: macrophages chemotax up find-me signal gradients, recognize phosphatidylserine 'eat-me' signals on apoptotic cells, and engulf them within a finite phagocytic capacity — before secondary necrosis triggers inflammatory DAMP release.

Molecular Biology3DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

Trillions of cells die by apoptosis in the human body every day, and almost none of it is ever seen as inflammation — because resident macrophages clear the corpses before they rupture. This simulator models that race in 3D: apoptotic cells appear in a tissue patch and emit a diffusing "find-me" chemotactic field that macrophages steer up, exposing phosphatidylserine "eat-me" signals that ramp up over time and gate a real engulfment probability, all while each macrophage's phagocytic capacity is finite and must digest cargo before taking on more. Watch what happens to clearance efficiency as you overwhelm macrophage capacity with a faster apoptosis rate, or shorten the secondary-necrosis window until inflammatory DAMP release starts to dominate.

⚙ Under the hood

Macrophages chemotax up 'find-me' signal gradients and engulf apoptotic cells once phosphatidylserine 'eat-me' exposure crosses threshold, racing against secondary necrosis and their own finite phagocytic capacity.

macrophageefferocytosisapoptosisimmunologycell-biologychemotaxis

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install