Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

NK cell development and function - Plasticity and redundancy unleashed.

Cichocki, Frank ; Sitnicka Quinn, Ewa LU and Bryceson, Yenan T (2014) In Seminars in Immunology 26(2). p.114-126
Abstract
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... (More)
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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Seminars in Immunology
volume
26
issue
2
pages
114 - 126
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:24594002
  • wos:000334655700003
  • scopus:84897964683
  • pmid:24594002
ISSN
1096-3618
DOI
10.1016/j.smim.2014.02.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
97402038-ea39-4e2f-be17-28e29e6d3ae0 (old id 4383927)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24594002?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 09:50:34
date last changed
2024-02-04 13:22:22
@article{97402038-ea39-4e2f-be17-28e29e6d3ae0,
  abstract     = {{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.}},
  author       = {{Cichocki, Frank and Sitnicka Quinn, Ewa and Bryceson, Yenan T}},
  issn         = {{1096-3618}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{114--126}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Seminars in Immunology}},
  title        = {{NK cell development and function - Plasticity and redundancy unleashed.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smim.2014.02.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.smim.2014.02.003}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}