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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Isolation of Uterine Innate Lymphoid Cells for Analysis by Flow Cytometry
Published on: October 14, 2021
Natural killer cells and reproductive failure--theory, practice and prejudice
Raj Rai1, Gavin Sacks, Geoffrey Trew
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Hospital, UK. r.rai@imperial.ac.uk
Abstract:
The relationship between peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells and reproductive failure is one of the most controversial areas in reproductive medicine. Amidst much publicity, peripheral blood NK cell testing is being promoted as a useful diagnostic test to guide the initiation of a variety of immunosuppressive therapies amongst patients with either recurrent miscarriage or infertility. We contend (i) that at present there is no scientific basis for the introduction of NK cell testing into routine clinical practice, and (ii) that the use of immunosuppressant agents based on the results of such testing may potentially be harmful.
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