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Killers become builders during pregnancy

Nature Medicine volume 12, pages 991–992 (2006)Cite this article

Circulating natural killer cells might be best known for their ability to disable and maim target cells. But in the pregnant uterus of humans these cells seem to have a positive effect, regulating placental development and angiogenesis (pages 1065–1074).

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Figure 1: Human decidual NK cells in the early weeks of pregnancy promote trophoblast cell invasion and vascular growth; figure not to scale.

Kim Caeser

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Author notes

  1. Philippe Le Bouteiller and Julie Tabiasco: and they are members of EMBIC, a European Network of Excellence.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U563, Hôpital Purpan, BP 3028, Toulouse, 31024, Cedex 3, France

    Philippe Le Bouteiller & Julie Tabiasco

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  1. Philippe Le Bouteiller
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  2. Julie Tabiasco
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Le Bouteiller, P., Tabiasco, J. Killers become builders during pregnancy. Nat Med 12, 991–992 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0906-991

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