TYRO3 and thyroid cancer: Similarly, treatment with stromal cell derived factor 1α (SDF-1α), which is a ligand for the chemokine receptor CXCR4 [71], upregulated TYRO3 mRNA and protein expression in thyroid cancer cells and overexpression of moesin-ezrin-radixin-like protein (MERLIN), a membrane and cytoskeletal scaffolding tumor suppressor, in primary schwannoma cells led to decreased TYRO3 protein levels.