Macrophages and glia participate in the removal of apoptotic neurons from the Drosophila embryonic nervous system

Cell death in the Drosophila embryonic central nervous system (CNS) proceeds by apoptosis, which is revealed ultrastructurally by nuclear condensation, shrinkage of cytoplasmic volume, and preservation of intracellular organelles. Apoptotic cells do not accumulate in the CNS but are continuously removed and engulfed by phagocytic haemocytes. To determine whether embryonic glia can function as phagocytes, we studied serial electronic microscopic …