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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Purification and Expansion of Mouse Invariant Natural Killer T Cells for in vitro and in vivo Studies
Published on: February 15, 2021
Type I natural killer T cells: naturally born for fighting
Jin-quan Tan1, Wei Xiao, Lan Wang
1Department of Immunology, Institute of Allergy and Immune-related Diseases and Center for Medical Research, Wuhan University School of Medicine, China. jinquan_tan@whu.edu.cn
Abstract:
Type capital I, Ukrainian natural killer T cells (NKT cells), a subset of CD1d-restricted T cells with invariant Valphabeta TCR, are characterized by prompt production of large amounts of Th1 and/or Th2 cytokines upon primary stimulation through the TCR complex. The rapid release of cytokines implies that type capital I, Ukrainian NKT cells may play a critical role in modulating the upcoming immune responses, such as anti-tumor response, protection against infection, and autoimmunity. As a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity, type capital I, Ukrainian NKT cells differentiate and mature upon stimulations to achieve and maintain a homeostasis. Orchestrating with other arms of adaptive immunity, type capital I, Ukrainian NKT cells show strong cytotoxic effects in response to various tumors in a direct and/or indirect manner(s). This review will focus primarily on type capital I, Ukrainian NKT cell development, homeostasis, and effector functions, especially in anti-tumor immunity, and followed by their potential applications in treatment of cancers.
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