Epithelia are positioned at a critical interface to prevent invasion by microorganisms from the
environment. Pattern recognition receptors are important components of innate immunity
because of their ability to interact with specific microbe-associated structures and initiate
immune responses. Several distinct groups of receptors have been recognized. One of
these, the scavenger receptors, has been classified into at least eight separate classes. The
class A scavenger receptors are characterized by the presence of a collagen-like domain …