Natural killer cell receptors

Curr Opin Immunol. 1998 Jun;10(3):298-305. doi: 10.1016/s0952-7915(98)80168-4.

Abstract

In killing of cellular targets, natural killer cells employ receptors that activate them and receptors specific for MHC class I that inhibit their activation. Progress in understanding the inhibitory receptors has been rapid, and indications are that they fall into two distinct structural types that appear to utilize the same inhibitory signaling cascade; meanwhile, components of the activation cascade are being elucidated, permitting us to integrate the pathways involved.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / physiology
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / physiology*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins / chemistry
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology*
  • Ligands
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Multigene Family
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Receptors, Immunologic / classification
  • Receptors, Immunologic / genetics
  • Receptors, Immunologic / immunology*
  • Receptors, Immunologic / physiology
  • Receptors, KIR
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Immunoglobulins
  • Ligands
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Receptors, KIR
  • Calcium