NK cell development and function - Plasticity and redundancy unleashed.

Bone marrow-derived natural killer (NK) cells constitute the major subset of cytotoxic lymphocytes in peripheral blood. They provide innate defense against intracellular infection or malignancy and contribute to immune homeostasis. Large numbers of NK cells are also present in tissues, including the liver and uterus, where they can mediate immunosurveillance but also play important roles in tissue remodeling and vascularization. Here, we review the pathways involved in NK cell lineage commitment and differentiation, discussing relationships to other lymphocyte populations and highlighting genetic determinants. Characterizing NK cells from distinct tissues and during infections have revealed subset specializations, reflecting inherent cellular plasticity. In this context, we discuss how different environmental and inflammatory stimuli may shape NK cells. Particular emphasis is placed on genes identified as being critical for NK cell development, differentiation, and function from studies of model organisms or associations with disease. Such studies are also revealing important cellular redundancies. Here, we provide a view of the genetic framework constraining NK cell development and function, pinpointing molecules required for these processes but also underscoring plasticity and redundancy that may underlie robust immunological function. With this view, built in redundancy may highlight the importance of NK cells to immunity.

Sitnicka Quinn, EwaLund University,Lunds universitet,Avdelningen för molekylär hematologi,Institutionen för laboratoriemedicin,Medicinska fakulteten,Lymfocytutveckling och reglering,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Division of Molecular Hematology (DMH),Department of Laboratory Medicine,Faculty of Medicine,Lymphoid Development and Regulation,Lund University Research Groups(Swepub:lu)molm-esi (author)
Bryceson, Yenan TKarolinska Institutet (author)
University of MinnesotaAvdelningen för molekylär hematologi (creator_code:org_t)

By the author/editor: Cichocki, Frank; Sitnicka Quinn, ...; Bryceson, Yenan ...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Basic Medicine; and Immunology in th ...

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