title: [Clinico-immunological analysis of the significance of natural killer cells in skin diseases].
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells comprise a heterogeneous subpopulation of mononuclear cells with the capacity to spontaneously lyse neoplastic, virus-infected and special physiological cells. As such, they have been widely implicated in the regulation of immune function by secretion of several cell-specific substances. Measurement of NK-cell activity in vitro and identification of NK-cell subsets using multi-colour immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analysis are helpful techniques for the recognition of abnormalities in the NK-cell system. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that NK cells may play an important role in natural resistance to tumours in vivo, certain viruses and other microbial diseases. Defective NK activity has been described in various dermatological diseases, such as cancer, infections and autoimmune diseases. Recent data have shown that several kinds of therapy influence NK-cell activity. This review describes the relationship between NK cells and dermatological diseases as well as clinical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Hautklinik und Poliklinik, Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reinhold
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000276:immunology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology
vernacular_title: Eine klinisch-immunologische Analyse über den Stellenwert natürlicher Killerzellen bei dermatologischen Krankheiten.