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Natural killer cells remember: an evolutionary bridge between innate and adaptive immunity?
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Cancer Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0414, USA.
European Journal of Immunology
|July 29, 2009
Summary
Natural killer (NK) cells, once innate immune cells, show adaptive immunity features like memory. We propose NK cells represent an evolutionary bridge between innate and adaptive immunity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Natural killer (NK) cells have traditionally been classified within the innate immune system.
- They were understood to provide rapid, non-specific responses to infection, bridging early innate responses to later adaptive immunity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-evaluate the classification of NK cells based on emerging evidence.
- To propose a new conceptual framework for understanding NK cell function in immunity.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on NK cell characteristics.
- Analysis of functional and molecular data comparing NK cells to adaptive immune cells.
Main Results:
- NK cells exhibit key features of adaptive immunity, including immunological memory.
- These characteristics challenge the traditional innate-only classification.
Conclusions:
- NK cells possess attributes of both innate and adaptive immunity.
- We propose NK cells serve as an evolutionary bridge, connecting innate and adaptive immune systems.
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