Andoniou Christopher E, Coudert Jérôme D, Degli-Esposti Mariapia A
The University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia.
Eur J Immunol. 2008 Nov;38(11):2938-42. doi: 10.1002/eji.200838882.
Effective immunity requires coordinated activation of innate and adaptive immune responses. NK cells are principal mediators of innate immunity, able to respond to challenge quickly and generally without prior activation. The most acknowledged functions of NK cells are their cytotoxic potential and their ability to release large amounts of cytokines, especially IFN-gamma. Recently, it has become clear that NK cells are more than assassins. Indeed, NK cells play critical roles in shaping adaptive immunity.
有效的免疫需要先天免疫反应和适应性免疫反应的协同激活。自然杀伤细胞（NK细胞）是先天免疫的主要介质，能够快速响应挑战，通常无需预先激活。NK细胞最广为人知的功能是其细胞毒性潜力以及释放大量细胞因子的能力，尤其是γ干扰素。最近，越来越清楚的是，NK细胞的作用不止于杀手。事实上，NK细胞在塑造适应性免疫方面发挥着关键作用。
