Nature Immunology5, 996 - 1002 (2004)
Published online: 28 September 2004; | doi:10.1038/ni1114
Interplay of natural killer cells and their receptors with the adaptive immune response
David H Raulet
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Cancer Research Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-3200, USA. raulet@uclink.berkeley.edu
Although natural killer (NK) cells are defined as a component of the innate immune system, they exhibit certain features generally considered characteristic of the adaptive immune system. NK cells also participate directly in adaptive immune responses, mainly by interacting with dendritic cells. Such interactions can positively or negatively regulate dendritic cell activity. Reciprocally, dendritic cells regulate NK cell function. In addition, 'NK receptors' are frequently expressed by T cells and can directly regulate the functions of these cells. In these distinct ways, NK cells and their receptors influence the adaptive immune response.
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
