immunology allergic disorders
Cellular Components of the Immune System
Natural Killer (NK) Cells
Typical natural killer (NK) cells belong to a category of cells collectively referred to as innate lymphoid cells (which also includes ILC1, ILC2, and ILC3). NK cells constitute 5 to 15% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and have a round nucleus and granular cytoplasm. They induce apoptosis in infected or abnormal cells by a number of pathways. Like other innate lymphoid cells, they lack antigen-specific receptors; however, recent evidence suggests that some NK cells have a form of immunologic memory. NK cells are best characterized by CD2+, CD3-, CD4-, CD8+, CD16+ (a receptor for IgG-Fc), and CD56+ surface markers. Typical NK cells are thought to be important for tumor surveillance. NK cells express both activating and inhibitory receptors. The activating receptors on NK cells can recognize numerous ligands on target cells (eg, MHC class I–related chain A [MICA] and chain B [MICB]); the inhibitory receptors on NK cells recognize MHC class I molecules. NK cells can kill their target only when there is no strong signal from inhibitory receptors. The presence of MHC class I molecules (normally expressed on nucleated cells) on cells therefore prevents destruction of cells; their absence indicates that the cell is infected with certain viruses that inhibit MHC expression or has lost MHC expression because cancer has changed the cell. NK cells can also secrete several cytokines (eg, IFN-gamma, IL-1, TNF-alpha); they are a major source of IFN-gamma. By secreting IFN-gamma, NK cells can influence the acquired immune system by promoting differentiation of type 1 helper T (Th1) cells and inhibiting that of type 2 (Th2) cells. Patients with NK-cell deficiencies (eg, some types of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) ) are especially susceptible to 