title: Postnatal expansion of the natural killer and keller cell population in humans identified by the monoclonal HNK-1 antibody.
abstract: Human natural killer (NK) and killer (K) cells were directly enumerated using a monoclonal antibody (HNK-1) and an immunofluorescence assay. The frequency of cells bearing surface HNK-1 antigen was very low in the newborn (less than 1.0%) and increased progressively through childhood and into adult life. This was correlated with an age-related increase in functional NK and K cell activities. Males had a slightly higher proportion of HNK-1+ cells than females. In addition to HNK-1 expression on the surface membrane, a prominent cytoplasmic expression of HNK-1 antigen was found in some but not all surface HNK-1+ cells. The cytoplasmic accumulation of HNK-1 molecules appeared to occur in more mature cells of this lineage.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D010063:Ovum / Q000276:immunology; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011961:Receptors, Fc