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

Lineage Commitment01:21

Lineage Commitment

4.0K
Commitment is the  process whereby stem cells:
4.0K
Diversity of Antigen Receptors01:28

Diversity of Antigen Receptors

1.3K
Antigen receptors are essential components of the immune system crucial in defending the body against foreign invaders. These receptors are present on the surface of B and T cells, enabling them to recognize antigens and mount an appropriate immune response.
Before encountering any antigen, lymphocytes express these receptors. On B cells, the antigen receptor is a membrane-bound antibody molecule called BCR; on T cells, it is a T cell receptor or TCR. B and T cell receptors are composed of two...
1.3K
Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response01:23

Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response

8.3K
The T and B lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system develop from common lymphoid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. These progenitors give rise to precursors that eventually develop into both T and B lymphocytes. As these precursors mature, they gain the ability to detect and respond to foreign antigens in the body, a process known as immunocompetence. Additionally, these precursors acquire self-tolerance, a process that ensures they do not react to self-antigens. This intricate system...
8.3K
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response01:27

Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response

6.4K
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...
6.4K
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

14.5K
T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
14.5K
Cells of the Innate Immune Response01:28

Cells of the Innate Immune Response

8.5K
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...
8.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

iPSC-derived NK cell therapy induces durable responses in glioblastoma and overcomes resistance via a B7-H3-targeted tri-specific killer engager.

Neuro-oncology·2026
Same author

CAR-NK Cells in B-cell Lymphoma: A New Frontier toward Accessible and Scalable Cellular Therapy.

Blood cancer discovery·2026
Same author

A genetic set-point for natural killer cells.

Nature immunology·2026
Same author

Expanded adaptive NKG2C+ NK cells exhibit potent ADCC and functional responses against HBV-infected hepatoma cell lines.

Cytotherapy·2025
Same author

Elevated high-density lipoprotein levels following acute graft-versus-host disease onset: a potential link to T-cell dysfunction and increased relapse risk.

Clinical & translational immunology·2025
Same author

Rewiring natural killer cells for next-generation cancer therapies.

Cancer cell·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Generation of Natural Killer Cells from Human Expanded Potential Stem Cells
06:53

Generation of Natural Killer Cells from Human Expanded Potential Stem Cells

Published on: January 13, 2023

3.5K

Intra-lineage Plasticity and Functional Reprogramming Maintain Natural Killer Cell Repertoire Diversity.

Aline Pfefferle1, Benedikt Jacobs2, Herman Netskar2

  • 1Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Cell Reports
|November 21, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Natural killer (NK) cell diversity is maintained by subset plasticity during homeostatic proliferation. Cell cycling speed and phenotype dictate functional fate and transcriptional reprogramming in NK cells.

Keywords:
IL-15differentiationeducationhomeostasiskiller cell immunoglobulin-like receptorsnatural killer cellsplasticitysingle-cell RNA sequencing

More Related Videos

Purification and Expansion of Mouse Invariant Natural Killer T Cells for in vitro and in vivo Studies
08:37

Purification and Expansion of Mouse Invariant Natural Killer T Cells for in vitro and in vivo Studies

Published on: February 15, 2021

4.7K
An Optimized Method for Isolating and Expanding Invariant Natural Killer T Cells from Mouse Spleen
09:01

An Optimized Method for Isolating and Expanding Invariant Natural Killer T Cells from Mouse Spleen

Published on: October 29, 2015

12.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Generation of Natural Killer Cells from Human Expanded Potential Stem Cells
06:53

Generation of Natural Killer Cells from Human Expanded Potential Stem Cells

Published on: January 13, 2023

3.5K
Purification and Expansion of Mouse Invariant Natural Killer T Cells for in vitro and in vivo Studies
08:37

Purification and Expansion of Mouse Invariant Natural Killer T Cells for in vitro and in vivo Studies

Published on: February 15, 2021

4.7K
An Optimized Method for Isolating and Expanding Invariant Natural Killer T Cells from Mouse Spleen
09:01

An Optimized Method for Isolating and Expanding Invariant Natural Killer T Cells from Mouse Spleen

Published on: October 29, 2015

12.6K

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Natural killer (NK) cell repertoires comprise phenotypically distinct subsets with varied functional capabilities.
  • The molecular mechanisms governing NK cell repertoire diversity during homeostasis are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular programs maintaining NK cell repertoire diversity under homeostatic conditions.
  • To explore the role of intra-lineage plasticity in NK cell homeostasis.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of NK cell proliferation kinetics and mTOR activation in vitro.
  • Phenotypic and transcriptional profiling of sorted NK cell subsets.
  • Assessment of functional properties and gene expression related to adhesion, immune synapse formation, apoptosis, and NF-κB activation.

Main Results:

  • Subset-specific NK cell proliferation kinetics correlate with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation.
  • Intra-lineage plasticity contributes to NK cell repertoire diversity during interleukin (IL)-15-driven homeostatic proliferation.
  • Slowly cycling KIR+CD56dim NK cells with CD57 phenotype show enhanced functional potential and gene expression for adhesion and immune synapse formation.
  • Rapidly cycling NK cells upregulate NKG2A, exhibit reduced functionality, and display transcriptional signatures linked to apoptosis, cellular stress, actin remodeling, and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation.

Conclusions:

  • Intra-lineage plasticity plays a crucial role in maintaining NK cell homeostasis and repertoire diversity.
  • The functional fate of NK cells is intrinsically linked to their acquired phenotype and subsequent transcriptional reprogramming.