Macrophage MerTK promotes profibrogenic cross-talk with hepatic stellate cells via soluble mediators

•MerTK, a member of the TAM family of proteins, is highly expressed in MerTK+/CD206+/CD163+/CD209- macrophages.•In these macrophages, activation of MerTK induces phosphorylation of Akt, STAT3, ERK1/2, p38 and increased expression of VEGF-A.•MerTK activation in macrophages modulates the secretome to promote the profibrogenic phenotype of human HSCs.•Profibrogenic effects of macrophages expressing high levels of MerTK were blocked by knockdown or inhibition of MerTK.