MERTK and acute-on-chronic liver failure: Of note, increased numbers of immunoregulatory monocytes and macrophages expressing MER receptor tyrosine kinase (MERTK) have been detected in patients experiencing decompensated cirrhosis and/or acute-on-chronic liver failure; these immune cell phenotypes suppress the innate immune response to microbial agents, and their counts correlate with advanced liver disease and intestinal injury [17].