Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Measurement of Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity and Migration in the Context of Hepatic Tumor Cells
06:55

Measurement of Natural Killer Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity and Migration in the Context of Hepatic Tumor Cells

Published on: February 22, 2020

Signal transduction during activation and inhibition of natural killer cells

Carsten Watzl1, Eric O Long

  • 1Institute for Immunology, University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

Current Protocols in Immunology
|September 4, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Natural killer (NK) cells initiate early immune defense against viruses and cancer. This review details how signaling pathways regulate NK cell adhesion, cytotoxicity, and self-recognition through receptor interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial for innate immunity, providing early defense against viral infections and tumors.
  • NK cell functions, including cytokine secretion and target cell lysis, are tightly regulated by signal transduction pathways.
  • Understanding these pathways is essential for harnessing NK cell potential in immunotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the signal transduction mechanisms governing NK cell activation and inhibition.
  • To detail the molecular events regulating NK cell adhesion and cytotoxicity upon target cell engagement.
  • To explain the integration of signals from activating and inhibitory receptors in NK cell responses.

Main Methods:

  • Review of signal transduction pathways in NK cell activation.
  • Analysis of receptor-ligand interactions mediating NK cell responses.
  • Discussion of the integration of positive and negative signaling in NK cell function.

Main Results:

  • NK cell activation involves complex signaling cascades initiated by engagement of activating receptors.
  • Inhibitory receptors provide crucial negative signals, preventing autoreactivity and maintaining immune homeostasis.
  • The balance between activating and inhibitory signals determines the NK cell's cytotoxic response.

Conclusions:

  • Signal transduction pathways orchestrate NK cell activity, balancing effector functions with self-tolerance.
  • Target cell recognition and lysis by NK cells are precisely controlled by integrated signaling networks.
  • Further research into NK cell signaling holds promise for developing novel cancer and antiviral therapies.

More Related Videos

Assessment of Human Natural Killer Cell Events Driven by FcγRIIIa Engagement in the Presence of Therapeutic Antibodies09:54

Assessment of Human Natural Killer Cell Events Driven by FcγRIIIa Engagement in the Presence of Therapeutic Antibodies

Published on: May 22, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

The innate immune response is an immediate and non-specific response against pathogens, acting swiftly to prevent the spread of infections. The primary cells involved in this response are phagocytes and natural killer (NK) cells.
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...
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway02:26

NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway

The transcription factor NF-κB was discovered in 1986 in the lab of Nobel laureate Professor David Baltimore, for its interaction with the immunoglobulin light chain enhancer in B-cells. After more than three decades of study, it is now evident that NF-κB regulates the expression of over 100 genes. Most of these genes play an essential role in the innate and adaptive immune responses as well as the inflammatory responses of animals.
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The heterodimer of NF-κB...
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze the...
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
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...
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...