NKT cells: In the beginning...
- Macdonald HR Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland. hughrobson.macdonald@isrec.unil.ch
- 2007-11-01
Published in:
- European journal of immunology. - 2007
Allergy and Immunology
Animals
Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
History, 20th Century
Humans
Killer Cells, Natural
Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
T-Lymphocyte Subsets
T-Lymphocytes
English
Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells as we know them today are a unique subset of mature T cells co-expressing a semi-invariant Valpha14/Vbeta8 TCR and surface markers characteristic of NK cells. The semi-invariant TCR on iNKT cells recognizes glycolipids bound to monomorphic CD1d molecules, leading to rapid cytokine production. The purpose of this historical perspective is to describe how a series of seemingly unrelated findings in the late 1980s and early 1990s crystallized in the discovery of iNKT cells. The story is told from a personal viewpoint, with a particular effort to place both breakthroughs and misinterpretations in the context of their era.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- bronze
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1002/eji.200737527
- PMID 17972354
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/26993
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