Novel signalling motifs in macrophage patterm recognition receptors

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Early in evolution single celled organisms developed a process called phagocytosis ("big-eating") in order to ingest food. This process was adapted for destroying competing organisms or pathogens, in essence by eating them and killing them through a process similar to digestion. In complex organisms such as ourselves, we have specialized amoeboid-like cells called macrophages that specialize in patrolling the tissues and phagocytosing/eating not only pathogens but also our own dead cells and waste products. Macrophages recognize their targets by surface bound proteins called receptors. When a macrophage encounters a potential target it must process and transmit a phenomenal amount of information including the size of the target, whether it is harmless or dangerous, and whether it can remove it or should recruit reinforcements. How it transmits this information is unclear and is the focus of this research program. This work will elucidate novel mechanisms of cellular signalling, increase our understanding on the evolution of phagocytosis and phagocytic receptors and has implications in many processes including host defence, homeostasis and embryonic development.