Table 1 Protozoan parasites in which apoptotic mimicry was described as important for disease establishment and development

Classical apoptotic mimicry

PS exposure on amastigotes and promastigotes [5, 37, 44, 45]

–

PS exposure on tachyzoites [51, 53]

PS exposure on trypomastigotes [49]

–

Non-classical apoptotic mimicry

PS-exposing neutrophils acting as Trojan horses [105, 106]

PS exposure on infected RBC leading to disease development [75, 76, 84]

–

Apoptotic T cells modulating host macrophages [99]

Phagocytosis of PS-exposing apoptotic host cells [89,90,91, 93,94,95,96,97]