Definitions for natural killer cell
nat·u·ral killer cell

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. natural killer cellnoun

   Any cell that expresses cell surface receptors that deliver signals to either activate or inhibit a response as part of the immune system

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Natural killer cell

   Natural killer cells, also known as NK cells or large granular lymphocytes (LGL), are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system that belong to the rapidly expanding family of known innate lymphoid cells (ILC) and represent 5–20% of all circulating lymphocytes in humans. The role of NK cells is analogous to that of cytotoxic T cells in the vertebrate adaptive immune response. NK cells provide rapid responses to virus-infected cell and other intracellular pathogens acting at around 3 days after infection, and respond to tumor formation. Typically, immune cells detect the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) presented on infected cell surfaces, triggering cytokine release, causing the death of the infected cell by lysis or apoptosis. NK cells are unique, however, as they have the ability to recognize and kill stressed cells in the absence of antibodies and MHC, allowing for a much faster immune reaction. They were named "natural killers" because of the notion that they do not require activation to kill cells that are missing "self" markers of MHC class 1. This role is especially important because harmful cells that are missing MHC I markers cannot be detected and destroyed by other immune cells, such as T lymphocyte cells. NK cells can be identified by the presence of CD56 and the absence of CD3 (CD56+, CD3−). NK cells (belonging to the group of innate lymphoid cells) are one of the three kinds of cells differentiated from the common lymphoid progenitor, the other two being B and T lymphocytes. NK cells are known to differentiate and mature in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils, and thymus, where they then enter into the circulation. NK cells differ from natural killer T cells (NKTs) phenotypically, by origin and by respective effector functions; often, NKT cell activity promotes NK cell activity by secreting interferon gamma. In contrast to NKT cells, NK cells do not express T-cell antigen receptors (TCR) or pan T marker CD3 or surface immunoglobulins (Ig) B cell receptors, but they usually express the surface markers CD16 (FcγRIII) and CD57 in humans, NK1.1 or NK1.2 in C57BL/6 mice. The NKp46 cell surface marker constitutes, at the moment, another NK cell marker of preference being expressed in both humans, several strains of mice (including BALB/c mice) and in three common monkey species.In addition to natural killer cells being effectors of innate immunity, both activating and inhibitory NK cell receptors play important functional roles, including self tolerance and the sustaining of NK cell activity. NK cells also play a role in the adaptive immune response: numerous experiments have demonstrated their ability to readily adjust to the immediate environment and formulate antigen-specific immunological memory, fundamental for responding to secondary infections with the same antigen. The role of NK cells in both the innate and adaptive immune responses is becoming increasingly important in research using NK cell activity as a potential cancer therapy.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Natural killer cell

   Natural killer cells are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system. The role NK cells play is analogous to that of cytotoxic T cells in the vertebrate adaptive immune response. NK cells provide rapid responses to virally infected cells and respond to tumor formation, acting at around 3 days after infection. Typically immune cells detect MHC presented on infected cell surfaces, triggering cytokine release causing lysis or apoptosis. NK cells are unique, however, as they have the ability to recognize stressed cells in the absence of antibodies and MHC, allowing for a much faster immune reaction. They were named “natural killers” because of the initial notion that they do not require activation in order to kill cells that are missing “self” markers of major histocompatibility complex class 1. NK cells are defined as large granular lymphocytes and constitute the third kind of cells differentiated from the common lymphoid progenitor generating B and T lymphocytes. NK cells are known to differentiate and mature in the bone marrow, lymph node, spleen, tonsils and thymus where they then enter into the circulation. NK cells differ from Natural Killer T cells phenotypically, by origin and by respective effector functions; often NKT cell activity promotes NK cell activity by secreting IFNγ. In contrast to NKT cells, NK cells do not express T-cell antigen receptors or Pan T marker CD3 or surface immunoglobulins B cell receptors, but they usually express the surface markers CD16 and CD56 in humans, NK1.1 or NK1.2 in C57BL/6 mice. Up to 80% of human NK cells also express CD8.

How to pronounce natural killer cell?

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Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of natural killer cell in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of natural killer cell in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Natural_Killer_Cell
2. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Killer_Cell
3. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=natural killer cell