Author: Aldiyarbek Nurlan
Editor: Merentsova Anastasiа
NK cells are naturally occurring cytotoxic killer cells in human blood. They are capable of identifying and killing abnormal cells such as tumor cells.
Until now, it was believed that NK cells do not have a memory function, which means that they cannot kill on an "antigen-specific" basis, but are only able to react to viruses every time.
Researchers have found that the liver contains a subset of NK cells that are able to fight infections such as hepatitis A and B. Healthy people have about 5-15% NK cells in their blood, with the liver acting as a reservoir for these cells.
“Our results indicate that this particular subset of NK cells mediates effective antigen-specific processes. Thus, this subset of NK cells may be a suitable candidate for specific, therapeutic as well as preventive vaccination strategies, ”the researchers noted.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201019103453.htm
