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Related Concept Videos

Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

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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.
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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.
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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.
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The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
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Author Spotlight: Advancing Reproductive Immunology with a Protocol for the Quantitative Evaluation of Endometrial Immune Cells
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Natural killer cells: functional differences in recurrent spontaneous abortion†.

Fan Hao1, Xiangyu Zhou1, Liping Jin1

  • 1Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Biology of Reproduction
|November 20, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is linked to uterine natural killer (NK) cells. Research suggests these NK cells are key to RSA development and may offer new therapeutic targets for treatment.

Keywords:
arterial remodelingnatural killer cellsplacentapregnancytissue-resident natural killer cellstrophoblast

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive immunology
  • Immunotherapy
  • Pregnancy disorders

Background:

  • Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a significant pregnancy complication with limited effective treatments.
  • Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial for normal pregnancy, involved in implantation and placentation.
  • Growing evidence implicates NK cells in the pathophysiology of RSA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on the role of uterine NK cells in RSA.
  • To explore NK cells as potential therapeutic targets for recurrent spontaneous abortion.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current scientific literature on uterine NK cells and RSA.
  • Analysis of the immunological mechanisms linking NK cells to RSA development.

Main Results:

  • Uterine NK cells play a critical role in the development and progression of recurrent spontaneous abortion.
  • Dysregulation of NK cell activity in the endometrium is associated with RSA.
  • NK cells represent a promising target for novel immunotherapies for RSA.

Conclusions:

  • Uterine NK cells are central to the pathophysiology of recurrent spontaneous abortion.
  • Targeting NK cell function offers a potential therapeutic strategy for RSA.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate NK cell roles and optimize treatments for RSA.