The MerTK Knockout Raji Polyclonal Cells are a CRISPR/Cas9-edited polyclonal knockout cell population for loss-of-function studies of the MerTK receptor tyrosine kinase in a B lymphocyte context. This product comprises a heterogeneous pool of Raji cells with targeted MerTK gene disruption, providing a robust model free from clonal bias, suitable for high-throughput functional assays and pathway analysis.
Raji cells are EBV-positive Burkitt lymphoma-derived B lymphocytes that maintain features of humoral immunity and antigen presentation. Their high transfection efficiency and rapid growth facilitate CRISPR engineering, while the oncogenic and viral background offers a relevant system to study MerTK-mediated immune regulation in lymphoma and tumor microenvironment research.
MerTK activates upon binding of Gas6 or Protein S, leading to autophosphorylation and recruitment of adaptors such as CrkII and DOCK180?CElmo, which stimulate Rac1 to drive phagocytosis. Downstream PI3K/AKT and ERK signaling promotes phosphorylation of AKT, ERK1/2, and STAT3, and transcriptional upregulation of SOCS1 and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-??. This pathway mediates efferocytosis and immune quiescence, with regulation by apoptotic cell exposure and TLR stimulation.
In Raji cells, MerTK knockout abrogates efferocytosis and may induce heightened inflammatory signaling, providing a platform to dissect B cell-intrinsic immune checkpoints. The model is valuable for studies on autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus and retinitis pigmentosa, as well as cancer immunology, enabling investigation of how MerTK loss alters cytokine secretion and antigen presentation in an EBV-positive background.
Typical assays include Western blotting for MerTK and phospho-MerTK, flow cytometry-based phagocytosis assays, RT-qPCR of MerTK and downstream targets (e.g., SOCS1, IL-10), immunofluorescence, and ELISA for cytokine secretion. Phospho-signaling profiling and drug sensitivity screens targeting TAM pathways further expand its utility. This product supports research in atherosclerosis, autoimmune disorders, and therapeutic development. For additional information, please contact Ascent Research.
