what is Nk cells and their function?
Answers
NK Cells:Natural Killer Cell
DEFINITION:
* NK cells are part of a group of lymphocytes called null cells.
FUNCTION:
*Although natural killer (NK) cells are technically lymphocytes, a lot about them distinguishes them from other cells in this group. They mature in the bone marrow instead of the thymus like other T cells. T cells use CD4 or CD8 on their surface membrane to identify a specific cell infected with a pathogen. Each T cell is limited to identifying only targets that match with their surface receptors. However, NK use the CD16 on their cell membrane to recognize and bind to any tumor cell or virally infected cell. It is not restricted to a specific pathogen. Always on guard, NK cells do not rely on the memory of exposure to a specific pathogen, known as 'immunity', to attack an intruder.