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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Super-resolution Imaging of the Natural Killer Cell Immunological Synapse on a Glass-supported Planar Lipid Bilayer
Published on: February 11, 2015
Navigating barriers: the challenge of directed secretion at the natural killer cell lytic immunological synapse
Keri B Sanborn1, Jordan S Orange
1Immunology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Introduction:
Natural killer (NK) cells have an inherent ability to recognize and destroy a wide array of cells rendered abnormal by stress or disease. NK cells can kill a targeted cell by forming a tight interface-the lytic immunological synapse. This represents a dynamic molecular arrangement that over time progresses through a series of steps to ultimately deliver the contents of specialized organelles known as lytic granules.
Discussion:
In order to mediate cytotoxicity, the NK cell faces the challenge of mobilizing the lytic granules, polarizing them to the targeted cell, facilitating their approximation to the NK cell membrane, and releasing their contents.
Conclusion:
This review is focused upon the final steps in accessing function through the lytic immunological synapse.
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