Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

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...
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...
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...
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Structure and Function of Leukocytes01:21

Structure and Function of Leukocytes

An adult in good health typically has between 4,500 and 11,000 leukocytes, or white blood cells, per microliter of blood, which constitutes about 1% of the total blood volume. Unlike red blood cells, white blood cells contain a nucleus and other cellular organelles but do not have hemoglobin. Most white blood cells reside in connective tissues, particularly in lymphatic organs such as the lymph nodes, with only a small fraction present in circulating blood.
White blood cells protect the body...
Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens01:29

Immune Response Against Viral Pathogens

The immune system's response to viral infections is a complex and coordinated process involving natural killer (NK) cells, T cell-mediated responses, and antibody-mediated responses.
NK Cells
NK cells are a crucial part of our innate immune system, acting as the first line of defense against viral infections. These cells can recognize and kill infected cells without prior exposure to the virus, effectively slowing down the spread of infection. Additionally, NK cells produce proinflammatory...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Detection and molecular characterization of African swine fever virus recovered from Ornithodoros ticks of the Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania.

Tropical animal health and production·2026
Same author

Immunogenicity and efficacy of a Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae/porcine circovirus type 2 combination vaccine against experimental Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection in pigs.

Veterinary research·2026
Same author

The prenylated pUS2 protein of pseudorabies virus contributes to phosphorylation of connexin 43 and suppression of gap junctional intercellular communication.

Journal of virology·2026
Same author

Chitin and its derivative chitosan differently activate porcine innate immune cells.

Molecular immunology·2026
Same author

Pseudorabies virus infection induces IRF1-dependent PANoptosis to provoke the excessive release of HMGB1 and IL-1β.

Communications biology·2026
Same author

Correction: Serine protease-driven entry and S2 ' cleavage flexibility of feline coronavirus during feline enterocyte infections.

PLoS pathogens·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cytotoxicity Assay for the Assessment of Human NK Cell Activity
06:08

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cytotoxicity Assay for the Assessment of Human NK Cell Activity

Published on: August 9, 2017

Natural killer cells: frequency, phenotype and function in healthy cats.

Ben L Vermeulen1, Bert Devriendt, Dominique A Olyslaegers

  • 1Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Ben.Vermeulen@ugent.be

Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology
|September 19, 2012
PubMed
Summary

This study quantifies natural killer (NK) cells in cats, finding similarities and differences with other species. A new feline cell line, CRFK, is proposed for feline NK and NKT cell function assays.

More Related Videos

Field-Deployable Lens-Free Imaging Platform for Rapid Label-Free Analysis of Natural Killer Cell Activation
08:34

Field-Deployable Lens-Free Imaging Platform for Rapid Label-Free Analysis of Natural Killer Cell Activation

Published on: August 8, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 18, 2026

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cytotoxicity Assay for the Assessment of Human NK Cell Activity
06:08

A Flow Cytometry-Based Cytotoxicity Assay for the Assessment of Human NK Cell Activity

Published on: August 9, 2017

Field-Deployable Lens-Free Imaging Platform for Rapid Label-Free Analysis of Natural Killer Cell Activation
08:34

Field-Deployable Lens-Free Imaging Platform for Rapid Label-Free Analysis of Natural Killer Cell Activation

Published on: August 8, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Veterinary Science
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial for innate immunity and influence adaptive immunity.
  • Understanding feline NK cell characteristics is vital for comparative immunology and feline health research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify and phenotype NK cells in various compartments of healthy cats.
  • To assess the functional properties of feline NK cells.
  • To identify suitable target cells for feline NK and NKT cell cytotoxicity assays.

Main Methods:

  • Flow cytometry for NK cell quantification and phenotyping.
  • Analysis of NK cell markers (e.g., CD11b, CD62L) in different feline tissues.
  • Cytotoxicity assays using feline NK and NKT cells against various target cell lines.

Main Results:

  • Feline NK cell numbers and phenotypes largely align with other mammals, with notable exceptions in CD11b/CD62L expression and lymph node frequencies.
  • The K562 cell line is ineffective for feline NK cell functionality testing.
  • The CRFK cell line demonstrated high responsiveness to feline NK and NKT cell-mediated lysis.

Conclusions:

  • Feline NK cell properties show both conserved and distinct features compared to other species, necessitating caution in cross-species extrapolation.
  • The CRFK cell line is a suitable alternative for assessing feline NK and NKT cell cytotoxic activity.
  • This study provides a foundational reference for feline NK cell biology and assay development.