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Killer immune cells pile on the pressure to slay their foes

Immune-system assassins called killer T cells compress target cells, forming a destructive crater.
Coloured scanning electron micrograph of T lymphocyte cells attached to a cancer cell in purple and yellow colours

T cells (small, rounded objects; artificially coloured) attack a cancer cell. Killer T cells break the inner structure of target cells. Credit: Steve Gschmeissner/SPL

Immune special agents called killer T cells have a deadly grip that they use to destroy infected or cancerous cells1.

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Nature 631, 257 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02137-7

References

  1. De Jesus, M. et al. Sci. Immunol. 9, eadj2898 (2024).

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