NK cells and T cells: mirror images?
The expression of MHC class I molecules protects cells against lysis by natural killer (NK) cells. It is possible that NK cells are 'educated' to recognize self MHC class I molecules and that the combination of self peptide and MHC class I molecule blocks NK-mediated lysis. Here, Rogier Versteeg compares and contrasts models of education and self-nonself discrimination by T cells and NK cells, and presents a hypothesis for the evolution of T cells from NK cells.
Versteeg
R
R
Dept of Human Genetics, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000276:immunology; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D010446:Peptide Fragments