I investigate how immune cells support the health and function of essential organs like the heart and skeletal muscles through a novel quality control mechanism known as heterophagy. This process involves parenchymal cells packaging and disposing of waste materials, such as damaged mitochondria, into extracellular vesicles (exophers), which are then captured and eliminated by specialized phagocytes. By using mouse models, cell culture, microscopy, flow cytometry, and omics, I reveal how this crucial partnership operates and how disruptions in this dialogue contribute to aging and disease.