Fatty acid beta oxidation following efferocytosis has been shown to be net anti-inflammatory in macrophages65,66 and loss of Mertk has been shown to reduce lifespan in AD models.67 Exposure to apoptotic bodies derived from neurons has also been shown to be sufficient to induce a DAM-like state in human iPSC-derived microglia.68 Furthermore, we observed significant downregulation of Mertk in microglia during physiological aging (Fig. 1a). This evidence concerns the gene MERTK and Alzheimer disease.