Polyploidy promotes transformation of epithelial cells into non-professional phagocytes.

Removal of dead and damaged cells is critical for organismal health. Under stress conditions such as nutritional deprivation, infection, or temperature shift, the clearance of nonessential cells becomes a universal strategy to conserve energy and maintain tissue homeostasis. Typically, this task is performed by professional phagocytes such as macrophages. However, non-professional phagocytes (NPPs) can also adopt a phagocytic fate under specific circumstances. Similar to professional phagocytes, NPPs undergo transitions from immature to mature states and activation, but the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms governing their maturation, induction and phagocytic execution remain largely unknown. A notable example of stress-induced phagocytosis is the removal of germline cells by follicle cell-derived NPPs during oogenesis in SIGNIFICANCE: The ability to remove dead and damaged cells is essential for maintaining tissue homeostasis and organismal health. While this task is typically performed by professional phagocytes such as macrophages, non-professional phagocytes (NPPs) can also acquire phagocytic functions during development or in response to stress conditions. Using