Mannose receptors and scavenger receptors are two important receptors that function to bind and ingest microbes. The mannose receptor is a macrophage lectin that binds terminal mannose and fucose residues of glycoproteins and glycolipids.
These sugars are typically part of molecules found on microbial cell walls, whereas mammalian glycoproteins and glycolipids contain terminal sialic acid or N-acetylgalactosamine. Therefore, the macrophage mannose receptor recognizes microbes and not host cells.
See also
phagocytosis