title: Immune functions encoded by the natural killer gene complex.
abstract: There has been marked progress in our understanding of the role of natural killer (NK) cells in immune responses, mainly due to the identification of NK-cell receptors and their ligands. The genes encoding many NK-cell receptors are located in the NK-gene complex (NKC). Here, we review the properties of NKC-encoded receptors, and provide a genomic and conceptual framework for an insight into NK-cell function and biology.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, Box 8045, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. yokoyama@imgate.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Wayne M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Beatrice F M
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Plougastel
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008024:Ligands; D051379:Mice; D018448:Models, Immunological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic