Development and tolerance of natural killer cells

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0952-7915(99)80023-5Get rights and content

A natural killer (NK)/T cell-restricted progenitor cell in the fetal blood, with a phenotype of NK1.1+ CD117 (c-kit)+, can give rise to NK cells. IL-15 is probably required for NK cell differentiation and, in addition, stimulates expression of at least one of the MHC-specific inhibitory receptor families expressed by NK cells. Evidence supports the role of multiple mechanisms in rendering NK cells self tolerant — including selection for expression of self-specific inhibitory receptors, anergy and modulation of the cell surface levels of MHC-specific inhibitory receptors.

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