COL1A2 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: MerTK is expressed in human HSCs and acts directly on these cells by promoting their activation, supporting their survival, increasing their migration, and inducing the expression of profibrogenic genes, such as procollagen type I. We have previously showed that the AA genotypes of MERTK, associated with lower MerTK hepatic expression, is protective against severe fibrosis in NAFLD patients and is able to condition the progression of this chronic liver disease.