Natural Killer Cells and Their Role in Immunity

Natural killer (NK) cells are effector lymphocytes that play protective roles against both infectious pathogens and cancer. Although NK cells contribute to the innate immune system, they have a number of similarities to cells of the adaptive immune system, including T and B cells. Recent discoveries have also shown that NK cells are capable of adapting and developing into long-lived memory cells, providing new functional insights into the roles of innate immune cells. In this article, the author provides an overview of human and murine NK cell development, function, and memory, as well as their role in viral infection and cancer.