Immunopathology & Immunotherapy

First described in 1975, natural killer cells are part of the innate immune system and have been recognized for their ability to kill malignant cells without prior sensitization. Recent studies suggest that these cells may play an important role in human cancer prevention and could be an effective tool in cancer immunotherapy. 

Natural killer cells have been shown to kill transformed or virally infected cells without antigen priming. In addition, natural killer cells are able to protect against graft-versus-host disease.