title: Purification of human NK cell developmental intermediates from lymph nodes and tonsils.
abstract: Accumulating data indicate that human natural killer (NK) cells undergo terminal maturation in secondary lymphoid tissues (SLTs) including lymph nodes (LNs) and tonsils. In addition, recent studies have revealed that maturing NK cells progress through at least five functionally discrete stages of development within SLTs. These discoveries provide unique possibilities for researchers to investigate the natural processes governing human NK cell development, as they exist in vivo, through analysis of NK cell maturational intermediates found in situ. Herein we describe a detailed, yet simple, four-step protocol for the viable enrichment and purification of human NK cell developmental intermediates from LNs and tonsils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Aharon G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Freud
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Caligiuri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D002470:Cell Survival; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology*; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013535:Suspensions; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D013535:Suspensions