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Elucidating The Biomechanics Of Mertk-Mediated Efferocytosis, Brandon Hayato Dickson
Elucidating The Biomechanics Of Mertk-Mediated Efferocytosis, Brandon Hayato Dickson
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Macrophages are key mediators of efferocytosis – the phagocytic engulfment and removal of apoptotic cells. During engulfment, the coordinated activity of efferocytic receptors induces the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton, which facilitates the envelopment of the cell by the plasma membrane. Mer receptor tyrosine kinase (MERTK) is a crucial efferocytic receptor, but its role during actin remodeling is not well understood. Previously, our lab showed that MERTK is an activator of β2 integrins – which are comprised of receptors known to induce the actin polymerization that is required for engulfment. We hypothesized that MERTK is an indirect stimulator of …