Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026

Co-Culture of Murine Small Intestine Epithelial Organoids with Innate Lymphoid Cells
Published on: March 23, 2022
iNKT cells: innate lymphocytes with a diverse response
1Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa.
Abstract:
It is now established that natural killer T (NKT) cells can influence adaptive immune responses by producing vast amounts of cytokines. Different subsets of NKT cells with distinctive functional characteristics regarding cytokine production have been described. This is the case for NKT1, NKT2, or NKT17 that resemble conventional CD4 Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells in the cytokines they produce. Unlike conventional CD4 T cells that mostly acquire functional specialization in the periphery, a number of NKT cells become specialized effectors during thymic development. This opinion article describes the evidence for an extrathymic commitment of specialized NKT-cell subsets that, together with thymic lineages, contributes to the overall functional diversity of NKT cells participating in immune responses in the periphery.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Cells of the Innate Immune Response
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...
Lymphoid Cells and Tissues
Lymphoid cells consist of various types of immune system cells. These include B and T lymphocytes, which are responsible for producing antibodies and killing infected cells, respectively. Dendritic cells act as messengers between the innate and adaptive...
Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response
Special Features of Adaptive Immunity
The primary cell types involved in adaptive immunity are T cells and B cells. Each type has a unique role in defending the body against pathogens. T cells are responsible for cell-mediated immunity. They identify and eliminate infected cells directly,...
Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Introduction to Lymphatic and Immune System
The immune responses can be categorized into two types: innate and adaptive. Innate immunity comprises nonspecific defenses we are born...

