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Updated: Feb 8, 2026
09:01
An Optimized Method for Isolating and Expanding Invariant Natural Killer T Cells from Mouse Spleen
Published on: October 29, 2015
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Invariant Natural Killer T Cell Subsets-More Than Just Developmental Intermediates
S Harsha Krovi1, Laurent Gapin1,2
1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States.
Frontiers in Immunology
|July 6, 2018
Summary
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells, a crucial immune population, exhibit distinct subsets with specialized functions and tissue residency. Understanding these subsets is key to modulating immune responses in health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are CD1d-restricted T cells known for rapid cytokine secretion upon lipid antigen stimulation.
- Their broad functional capacity positions them centrally in diverse immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the recent appreciation of distinct iNKT cell subsets.
- To explore their developmental origins, tissue localization, and functional roles in homeostasis and disease.
Main Methods:
- This review synthesizes existing literature on iNKT cell subsets.
- It discusses developmental pathways, tissue distribution patterns, and functional impacts.
Main Results:
- Distinct iNKT cell subsets possess unique functional predispositions.
- These subsets can reside in specific tissue niches, influencing local immune environments.
- Tissue-resident iNKT cells play roles in maintaining homeostasis and responding to perturbations.
Conclusions:
- Recent advances highlight the heterogeneity of iNKT cells, revealing specialized subsets.
- These subsets have distinct tissue distributions and functional roles, impacting both steady and diseased states.
- Further research into iNKT cell subsets offers potential for therapeutic strategies.
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