The TREM2 gene provides instructions for making a protein called triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2). As its name suggests, this protein is made in myeloid cells, which are cells produced in bone marrow. The TREM2 protein is found on the cell surface, where it interacts with the protein produced from the TYROBP gene. The TREM2 and TYROBP proteins form a complex that transmits chemical signals to activate the cell.
The TYROBP-TREM2 complex was first identified in the immune system. This complex is involved in the growth and development of several types of immune cells, particularly dendritic cells. The TYROBP-TREM2 complex activates these cells, triggering an inflammatory response to injury or disease.
The TYROBP-TREM2 complex also activates cells in the skeletal system and in the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). In the skeletal system, the complex is found in osteoclasts, which are specialized cells that break down and remove (resorb) bone tissue that is no longer needed. These cells are involved in bone remodeling, which is a normal process that replaces old bone tissue with new bone.
In the central nervous system, the TYROBP-TREM2 complex appears to play an important role in immune cells called microglia. These cells protect the brain and spinal cord from foreign invaders and remove dead nerve cells and other debris. Although the TYROBP-TREM2 complex plays a critical role in osteoclasts and microglia, its exact function in these cells is unclear
Other Names
TREM-2; TREM2_HUMAN; Trem2a; Trem2b; Trem2c; triggering receptor expressed on monocytes 2; triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2a
Related Genetics Topics
Identifiers
- NCBI Gene: 54209
- OMIM: 605086
Source: MedlinePlus Genetics, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
