MFGE8 and autoimmune disease: MFG-E8−/− mice showed many unengulfed apoptotic cells in the germinal centers of the spleen, and autoimmune disease was induced in these mice with symptoms similar to that of human SLE, indicating that MFG-E8 has a critical role in removing apoptotic cells and that the complete loss of MFG-E8 causes SLE-like autoimmune disease [18].