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Senescent cells (SCs) have been considered a source of age-related chronic sterile systemic inflammation and a target for anti-aging therapies. To understand mechanisms controlling the amount of SCs, we analyzed the phenomenon of rapid clearance of human senescent fibroblasts implanted into SCID mice, which can be overcome when SCs were embedded into alginate beads preventing them from immunocyte attack. To identify putative SC killers, we analyzed the content of cell populations in lavage and capsules formed around the SC-containing beads. One of the major cell types attracted by secretory factors of SCs was a subpopulation of macrophages characterized by p16 (Ink4a) gene expression and β-galactosidase activity at pH6. 0 (β-gal pH6), thus resembling SCs. Consistently, mice with p16 (Ink4a) promoter-driven luciferase, developed bright luminescence of their peritoneal cavity within two …