Natural killer cell specificity for viral infections

Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes that contribute to the early immune responses to viruses. NK cells are innate immune cells that do not express rearranged antigen receptors but sense their environment via receptors for pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as via germline-encoded activating receptors specific for danger or pathogen signals. A group of such activating receptors is stochastically expressed by certain subsets within the NK...