natural killer cell
noun
: a large granular lymphocyte capable especially of destroying tumor cells or virally-infected cells without prior exposure to the target cell and without having it presented with or marked by a histocompatibility antigen
called also NK cell
Examples of natural killer cell in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Starting in the 1980s, for example, researchers discovered that a type of leukocyte called a natural killer cell is abundant on the uterine side of the maternal-fetal interface.
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Adrian Erlebacher, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2017
Exercise as a family Research shows that exercise increases the number of natural killer cells in adults—and regular activity can benefit kids in the same way, says Ranjit Chandra, M.D., a pediatric immunologist at the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
—Sandra Gordon, Parents, 28 June 2023
Presumably uterine natural killer cells produce substances that promote the loss of the original maternal cells that line the arteries, thus facilitating the subsequent takeover of these vessels by placental cells.
—Adrian Erlebacher, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2017
And our immune system is built out of a huge array, a big zoo of different cell types: natural killer cells and T-cells and B-cells and all of those different cell types that are interacting with each other.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 8 Mar. 2023
These included but were not limited to perturbations of the 2-5A synthetase/RNase L antiviral pathway, low natural killer cell cytotoxicity (as measured by standard diagnostic assays), and elevated cytokines particularly interleukin-6 and interleukin-8.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2010
Fate is also discontinuing the development of its natural killer cell programs for acute myeloid leukemia, B-cell lymphoma and solid tumors.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2023
Some of these therapies, such as natural killer cell programs, focus on equipping a patient’s own immune system to identify and destroy infected cells.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2023
These alleles, of which several encode unique or strong ligands for natural killer cell receptors, now represent more than half the HLA alleles of modern Eurasians and also appear to have been later introduced into Africans.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 26 Aug. 2011
Adrian Erlebacher, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2017
Exercise as a family Research shows that exercise increases the number of natural killer cells in adults—and regular activity can benefit kids in the same way, says Ranjit Chandra, M.D., a pediatric immunologist at the Memorial University of Newfoundland.
—Sandra Gordon, Parents, 28 June 2023
Presumably uterine natural killer cells produce substances that promote the loss of the original maternal cells that line the arteries, thus facilitating the subsequent takeover of these vessels by placental cells.
—Adrian Erlebacher, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2017
And our immune system is built out of a huge array, a big zoo of different cell types: natural killer cells and T-cells and B-cells and all of those different cell types that are interacting with each other.
—Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 8 Mar. 2023
These included but were not limited to perturbations of the 2-5A synthetase/RNase L antiviral pathway, low natural killer cell cytotoxicity (as measured by standard diagnostic assays), and elevated cytokines particularly interleukin-6 and interleukin-8.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2010
Fate is also discontinuing the development of its natural killer cell programs for acute myeloid leukemia, B-cell lymphoma and solid tumors.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2023
Some of these therapies, such as natural killer cell programs, focus on equipping a patient’s own immune system to identify and destroy infected cells.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2023
These alleles, of which several encode unique or strong ligands for natural killer cell receptors, now represent more than half the HLA alleles of modern Eurasians and also appear to have been later introduced into Africans.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 26 Aug. 2011
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'natural killer cell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Natural killer cell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20killer%20cell. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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