NK cells and T-cells (NK cells; T-cells)

Natural killer cells and T-cells are two major types of lymphocytes that together orchestrate critical functions of the immune system. NK cells belong to the innate immune arm, providing rapid, non-specific cytotoxic responses against infected or transformed cells through receptor-mediated recognition and release of lytic granules[4][5][8]. T-cells, major contributors to adaptive immunity, use specialized T-cell receptors (TCR) to recognize antigen-MHC complexes, resulting in targeted cytotoxicity (by CD8+ T-cells) and immune regulation (by CD4+ T-cells)[1][7]. Both types are vital for host defense against infection and cancer and are frequent targets of immunotherapeutic interventions[6][8]. Entry as "NK cells and T-cells" is imprecise and should be split for accurate molecular annotation.

Other names

NK cellNatural killer lymphocyteCytotoxic T-cell (killer T-cell)Helper T-cellCD8+ T-cellCD4+ T-cellNKT cell

Direct cytotoxicity (granzyme, perforin-mediated killing); Cytokine modulation (activation/suppression of immune pathways); Death receptor-induced apoptosis (FasL, TRAIL); Immune checkpoint modulation (inhibition/activation of signaling pathways)