Biology / Unit 13 Bio 3271 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Natural Killer Cells
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The idea
Natural killer cells patrol for infected or cancerous cells lacking normal surface markers and destroy them directly, an innate defense needing no prior exposure to a pathogen.
In practice
A cell that stops displaying its usual surface markers becomes a target for natural killer cell destruction.
Where people slip
Natural killer cells act without pathogen-specific memory, unlike the adaptive lymphocytes this chapter covers next.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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