See Also: Killer T cell(health)
killer cell(medicine)
killer T-cell(medicine)
natural killer cell(medicine)
Natural killer cell stimulating factor(medicine)
Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital- Medicine Lodge(health)
nine-killer(medicine)
killer(medicine)
killer(dictionary)

killer cell (medicine)


killer cell


1. <immunology> Mammalian cells which can lyse antibody coated target cells. They have a receptor for the Fc portion of IgG and are probably of the mononuclear phagocyte lineage, though some may be lymphocytes. Not to be confused with cytotoxic T-cells which recognise targets by other means and are clearly a sub set of T lymphocytes. This confusion exists in the early literature.

2. Natural killer cell are CD3 negative large granular lymphocytes, mediating cytolytic reactions that do not require expression of Class I or II major histocompatibility antigens on the target cell.

3. Lymphokine activated killer cells are NK cells activated by interleukin-2 (LAK cells).