title: NK cell receptors in rodents and cattle.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells discriminate between normal syngeneic cells and infected, neoplastic or MHC-disparate allogeneic cells. The reactivity of NK cells appears to be regulated by a balance between activating receptors that recognize non-self or altered self, and inhibitory receptors recognizing normal, self-encoded MHC class I molecules. Subfamilies of NK receptors undergo rapid evolution, and appear to co-evolve with the MHC. We here review present views on the evolution and function of NK cell receptors, with an emphasis on knowledge gained in cattle and rodents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1105 Blindern, N-0317 Oslo, Norway. erik.dissen@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dissen
authors.forename: Sigbjørn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fossum
authors.forename: Sigurd E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hoelsbrekken
authors.forename: Per C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Saether
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D055650:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A / Q000502:physiology; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D / Q000502:physiology; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000502:physiology; D055630:Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like / Q000502:physiology; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D055650:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D055630:Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell