Lymphocyte mediated cell lysis

Lymphocyte-mediated cell lysis represents an important immunologic effector mechanism involved in defense against viral infections, allograft rejection, and tumor surveillance. Moreover, regulatory T cell interactions within the immune system are based, at least in part, on molecular events related to this function. The multiplicity of effector cell populations that can mediate cytotoxicity, the cell/cell interaction determinants which they require for execution of their activities, and molecular events underlying the lytic process itself, as elucidated recently, are the subjects of the present review article.