Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Examination of Thymic Positive and Negative Selection by Flow Cytometry
Published on: October 8, 2012
Natural killer cells determine the outcome of B cell-mediated autoimmunity
1Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract:
Natural killer (NK) cells can affect the outcome of adaptive immune responses. NK cells, but not NK1.1+T cells, were found to participate in the development of myasthenia gravis (a T cell-dependent, B cell- and antibody-mediated autoimmune disease) in C57BL/6 mice. The requirement for NK cells was reflected by the lack of a type I helper T cell response and antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor in both NK1.1+ cell-depleted and NK cell-deficient IL-18-/- mice. These findings establish a previously unrecognized link between NK cells and autoreactive T and B cells.
Related Concept Videos
Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Cells of the Innate Immune Response
Phagocytes
Phagocytes police the peripheral tissues by removing cellular debris and responding to the invasion of foreign substances or pathogens. Many phagocytes attack and remove microorganisms even before lymphocytes detect them. The human body has two general...
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
B Cell Activation and Differentiation
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...

