In vivo developmental stages in murine natural killer cell maturation

Nat Immunol. 2002 Jun;3(6):523-8. doi: 10.1038/ni796. Epub 2002 May 13.

Abstract

Natural killer (NK) cells develop in the bone marrow, but their in vivo stages of maturation, expansion and acquisition of receptors that guide target cell specificity are not well defined. We describe here such stages of development. We also show that developing NK cells actively proliferate at a phenotypically distinguishable immature stage after they have acquired expression of Ly49 and CD94-NKG2 receptors. These studies provide a developmental framework for NK cell maturation in vivo and suggest the possible involvement of the Ly49 and CD94-NKG2 receptors themselves in modulating expansion of NK cell populations with a given NK cell receptor repertoire.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Antigens, Ly*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Division
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / immunology
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / pathology
  • Integrins / metabolism
  • Killer Cells, Natural / cytology*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism
  • Lectins, C-Type*
  • Macrophage-1 Antigen / metabolism
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Models, Immunological
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D
  • Receptors, Immunologic / metabolism
  • Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like
  • Receptors, Natural Killer Cell

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Ly
  • Integrins
  • Klrd1 protein, mouse
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Macrophage-1 Antigen
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like
  • Receptors, Natural Killer Cell