title: Assessing licensing of NK cells.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells express receptors to detect and kill target cells based on expression of target cell surface molecules. Through a process termed NK cell licensing, only NK cells that express inhibitory receptors (e.g., Ly49 receptors in the mouse) for self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules become functionally competent to be triggered through their activation receptors. To determine the licensing status of particular Ly49(+) murine NK cell subsets, splenocytes are stimulated with plate-bound anti-NK1.1 monoclonal antibody in the presence of brefeldin A and then assessed for NK cell activation on a single-cell basis using intracellular cytokine interferon-gamma staining and flow cytometry.
authors.affiliation: Medical Scientist Training Program, Rheumatology Division, Departments of Medicine, Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: A Helena
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Wayne M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013535:Suspensions
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016207:Cytokines; D013535:Suspensions