title: Recognition events that inhibit and activate natural killer cells.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells exhibit specificity for MHC class I molecules in their interactions with target cells. Instead of activating the cells, the recognition of class I molecules on target cells inhibits NK-cell lytic activity, suggesting that surveillance of normal class I expression by body cells represents a key NK-cell function. Recent advances have been made in identification of the class I specific receptors expressed by NK cells, and in the characterization of their detailed specificity and expression patterns. Other studies are beginning to unravel recognition events that activate NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA. raulet@uclink4.berkeley.edu
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Raulet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I