Open AccessHow natural killer cells avoid self-destruction when killing their targets
Author(s) -
Hannah Wurzer,
Liza Filali,
Clément Thomas
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.127
H-Index - 271
eISSN - 1545-7885
pISSN - 1544-9173
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001339
Subject(s) - biology , cytotoxic t cell , self tolerance , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , natural (archaeology) , natural killer cell , lymphokine activated killer cell , natural killer t cell , immune system , interleukin 21 , genetics , autoimmunity , cd8 , in vitro , paleontology
How cytotoxic lymphocytes are protected against their own weapons during close combat with diseased target cells is an important and long-standing question in immunology. A study in this issue provides new insights into the mechanisms by which natural killer (NK) cells avoid self-destruction.