TY - JOUR
T1 - Natural killer lymphocytes
T2 - "null cells" no more.
AU - Moretta, A.
AU - Bottino, C.
AU - Sivori, S.
AU - Marcenaro, E.
AU - Castriconi, R.
AU - Della Chiesa, M.
AU - Carlomagno, S.
AU - Augugliaro, R.
AU - Nanni, M.
AU - Vitale, M.
AU - Millo, R.
PY - 2001/10
Y1 - 2001/10
N2 - Natural Killer (NK) lymphocytes were initially described as potent effector cells that, unlike T lymphocytes, were able to kill targets in the absence of a priori stimulation and without specific recognition mechanisms. Over the past ten years however, it has been clearly demonstrated that NK cell function is regulated by a number of surface receptors that bind specific ligands expressed by target cells. Some of these receptors display inhibitory functions and recognize MHC class I molecules expressed by normal autologous cells that, as a consequence, are spared from indiscriminate NK-mediated killing. Other receptors are involved in NK cell activation against allogeneic cells or cells that, upon viral infection or tumor transformation, down-regulate MHC Class I expression. Altogether these data provide important advances toward the understanding of the complexity of the molecular mechanisms that regulate NK-mediated functions.
AB - Natural Killer (NK) lymphocytes were initially described as potent effector cells that, unlike T lymphocytes, were able to kill targets in the absence of a priori stimulation and without specific recognition mechanisms. Over the past ten years however, it has been clearly demonstrated that NK cell function is regulated by a number of surface receptors that bind specific ligands expressed by target cells. Some of these receptors display inhibitory functions and recognize MHC class I molecules expressed by normal autologous cells that, as a consequence, are spared from indiscriminate NK-mediated killing. Other receptors are involved in NK cell activation against allogeneic cells or cells that, upon viral infection or tumor transformation, down-regulate MHC Class I expression. Altogether these data provide important advances toward the understanding of the complexity of the molecular mechanisms that regulate NK-mediated functions.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 12003235
VL - 106
SP - 335
EP - 342
JO - Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology
JF - Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology
SN - 1122-6714
IS - 4
ER -