Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Preparation and Use of HIV-1 Infected Primary CD4+ T-Cells as Target Cells in Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxic Assays
Published on: March 14, 2011
Recognition of infected cells by natural killer cells
Leonidas N Carayannopoulos1, Wayne M Yokoyama
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Washington University Medical Center, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Abstract:
Under the influence of cytokines associated with innate immunity, natural killer (NK) cells rapidly become activated and migrate to sites of infection. Upon contact with infected parenchyma they proliferate, release cytokines and/or kill cells harboring pathogens. Multiple stimulatory and inhibitory receptors can provide the integrated signals that trigger this contact-mediated NK-cell function. Recent work has begun to define the ligands for these receptors in the context of infection by certain well-studied viruses. These results, in addition to future work involving other pathogens, will provide an understanding of the molecules present on parasitized cells that mark them as targets of innate immunity.
Related Concept Videos
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...
Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...
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...
Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.
