{"id":16554,"date":"2022-02-09T17:59:15","date_gmt":"2022-02-09T17:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/?p=16554"},"modified":"2023-03-06T12:01:10","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T12:01:10","slug":"natural-killer-cells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/natural-killer-cells\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural Killer Cells \u2014 Meet Your Body&#8217;s Elite Warriors!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that human natural killer cells, a.k.a. the NK Cells, have an average life span of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/ni1582\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">two<\/a> weeks?<\/p>\n<p>During those two weeks, the NK Cells perform many important tasks to keep us safe from imposters threatening our body\u2019s well-being.<\/p>\n<p>But what is it exactly that natural killer cells do? And why are they so important for us?<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s find out what makes NK Cells special and their role in our immune system!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"mceNonEditable cta-custom\" href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/comic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Discover the battle raging within. Read the BIOWARS comic book!<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>What Are Natural Killer Cells?<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_17830\" style=\"width: 964px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17830\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-17830 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-pathogen-destruction.jpg\" alt=\"Natural Killer Cells are the most fearsome warriors in the BioCosmos.\" width=\"954\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-pathogen-destruction.jpg 954w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-pathogen-destruction-279x300.jpg 279w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-pathogen-destruction-768x824.jpg 768w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-pathogen-destruction-440x472.jpg 440w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-pathogen-destruction-635x682.jpg 635w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 954px) 100vw, 954px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17830\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Natural Killer Cells are the most fearsome warriors of our immune system and BioCosmos.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Natural Killer Cells are a group of elite warriors that attack <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/the-biology-of-biowars-the-cancer-cell-enigma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cancerous<\/a> and other infected cells in our body.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>They operate within the <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/lymphocytes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">lymphocyte<\/a> squadron.<\/p>\n<p>Lymphocytes are members of the white blood cell family, i.e., leukocytes. <strong>Our white blood cells (WBC\u2019s) contain:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Granulocytes:<\/strong> Neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils. They help our body get rid of infections and fight off allergens. They usually have a three or four-lobed <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/functions-of-nucleus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">nucleus<\/a>. If their nuclei have just one lobe, in most cases, that is a sign of some kind of anomaly, mostly cancer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Monocytes:<\/strong> This type of WBC\u2019s not only helps destroy attackers, but they also ensure our bodies heal and repair faster. They can recognize \u201cdanger signals\u201d thanks to their recognition receptors. Monocytes differentiate in macrophages and dendritic cells, also known as phagocytes. They\u2019re fully dedicated to devouring their enemies!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lymphocytes:<\/strong> A type of WBC\u2019s that fights off tumor cells and viruses and regulates our immune system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Alongside NK Cells, lymphocytes also contain:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/what-are-b-cells\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">B-Cells<\/a>:<\/strong> B-Cells are a group of fighters responsible for producing antibodies. In the BioWars comic book, B-Cells are personified as <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\/blastor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blastor<\/a>, the B-Cell commander, and <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\/humron\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Humron<\/a>, his second-in-command.<\/li>\n<li><strong>T-Cells:<\/strong> T-Cells, on the other hand, kill infected cells and encourage other immune system cells to join whatever battle may be happening within your body and protect you. In the BioCosmons, they are represented by <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\/gamma-9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gamma-9<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\/alpha-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alpha-1<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Natural Killer Cells are our body\u2019s elite special forces. Think of them as the Navy SEALs of your immune system!<\/strong> They constitute about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fimmu.2018.01869\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">5-20%<\/a> of all circulating lymphocytes in our blood.<\/p>\n<p>NKCs hunt down infected cells and attack them. Their relentless attacks are unlike anything else our body does.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Natural Killer Cells have a clear mission \u2014 annihilate imposters and unhealthy cells that pose a danger to our health.<\/strong> If that means killing off some of our body\u2019s own cells that got infected along the way, they\u2019ll do it in a beat!<\/p>\n<p>In BioWars comics, <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\/cid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cid<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\/syrinx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Syrinx<\/a> represent NK Cells!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"mceNonEditable cta-custom\" href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Meet the characters of the BIOWARS Universe!<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"TextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\" data-ccp-charstyle-defn=\"{&quot;ObjectId&quot;:&quot;4e9b3e30-8dbf-4622-a0ff-20eaa16d95e4|150&quot;,&quot;ClassId&quot;:1073872969,&quot;Properties&quot;:[469775450,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,201340122,&quot;1&quot;,134233614,&quot;true&quot;,469778129,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,335572020,&quot;1&quot;,469778324,&quot;Default Paragraph Font&quot;]}\">What <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\">Are<\/span> <span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\">The<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\"> Most Important Function<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\">s<\/span> <span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\">O<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\">f <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\">Natural Killer Cells?<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"eop\" data-ccp-charstyle-defn=\"{&quot;ObjectId&quot;:&quot;4e9b3e30-8dbf-4622-a0ff-20eaa16d95e4|151&quot;,&quot;ClassId&quot;:1073872969,&quot;Properties&quot;:[469775450,&quot;eop&quot;,201340122,&quot;1&quot;,134233614,&quot;true&quot;,469778129,&quot;eop&quot;,335572020,&quot;1&quot;,469778324,&quot;Default Paragraph Font&quot;]}\">\u202f<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW152150413 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_17831\" style=\"width: 965px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17831\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-17831 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-cytotoxic-blasts-1.jpg\" alt=\"Cid is a Natural Killer Cell in the BIOWARS comic book. He launches cytotoxic blasts at the enemies.\" width=\"955\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-cytotoxic-blasts-1.jpg 955w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-cytotoxic-blasts-1-280x300.jpg 280w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-cytotoxic-blasts-1-768x823.jpg 768w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-cytotoxic-blasts-1-440x472.jpg 440w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-biowars-comic-cytotoxic-blasts-1-635x681.jpg 635w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 955px) 100vw, 955px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17831\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cid, a Natural Killer Cell, attacks intruders with powerful cytotoxic blasts.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>The main function of Natural Killer Cells is to attack aberrant, i.e., anomalous cells and prevent them from jeopardizing your well-being.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now, let\u2019s see how these elite warriors do it!<\/p>\n<p>NKCs are called \u201cnatural\u201d because of their <strong>innate ability to recognize infected cells and react accordingly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike the B-Cells that produce antibodies and release them into our blood to bind with antigens \u2014 molecules on pathogens\u2019 surface, <strong>the NK Cells work autonomously. Therefore, they don\u2019t need antibodies to destroy the enemy,<\/strong> nor do they care about binding themselves to antigen-receptors. That\u2019s why the NK Cells can react fast and take care of the pathogen posing a danger for your immune system!<\/p>\n<p>NKCs continuously patrol your body, ensuring all is well and you\u2019re healthy.<\/p>\n<p>The moment they notice something\u2019s wrong, they react fast. In fact, <strong>after you get infected, the NK Cells need approximately three days to respond to a threat!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And what does their attack look like?<\/p>\n<p>Well, let\u2019s just say <strong>no one would ever want to get in their way!<\/strong> Suffice to say, even their allies and fellow BIOWARRIORS fear them!<\/p>\n<p>Healthy nucleated cells in your body have <strong>MHC I proteins<\/strong> on their surface \u2014 the tiny molecules that can bind to receptors outside the cell. Pretty much all of your cells have a nucleus, save for the red blood cells.<\/p>\n<p>Why are these receptors important for your immune system?<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>MHC I represents a sort of an ID card for each cell<\/strong> that describes what every cell does and its role in your body.<\/p>\n<p>So, while NK Cells patrol your body, they scan MHC I proteins. Infected and cancerous cells have a different MHC I than healthy cells. And <strong>that difference is a signal<\/strong> to NK Cells!<\/p>\n<p><strong>NK Cells contain receptors on their surface. These receptors are important because they regulate the behavior of NK Cells.<\/strong> Once the NKCs spot an infection, the receptors on their surface activate and turn from an inhibitory to an active state. The NK Cells immediately <strong>initiate an attack on malicious or infected cells by launching cytotoxic granules at them!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The cytotoxic blasts either cause stressed cells to lyse, i.e. break down, or to complete apoptosis, i.e. to die.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>What Else Can Natural Killer Cells Do?<\/h3>\n<p>Aside from preventing cancers and microbes from spreading, recent research also suggests <strong>NK Cells play a tremendous role in human response to HIV<\/strong>. NKCs can eradicate infected cells, prompting the virus to <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/what-is-gene-mutation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">mutate<\/a> to spread further. Imagine the power the NKCs have!<\/p>\n<p>Natural Killer Cells also <strong>play an important role in helping human bodies become pregnant<\/strong>. They ensure the embryo can attach itself to the uterus by slightly inflaming the womb. Without the inflammation, the embryo has nothing to attach itself to. But if there is an excessive number of NKCs or not enough of them, there\u2019s a risk of a woman suffering a miscarriage.<\/p>\n<p>Once a woman becomes pregnant, NKCs help develop blood vessels in the fetus, ensuring it gets enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients that ensure the fetus develops properly. Moreover, the silent warriors safeguard the fetus by battling infections and harmful intruders.<\/p>\n<p>Recent research has shown that <strong>NKCs also have a memory function<\/strong>. This means they have the ability to remember particular viruses and appropriately respond to them. For example, in an article published in Science Immunology in late <a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciimmunol.aba6232\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2020<\/a>, scientists from the Medical University of Vienna note that the subset of NKCs in the liver can memorize viruses and help the immune system fight against hepatitis A and B.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"mceNonEditable cta-custom\" href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/explore\/did-you-know\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Learn more fun facts about your body!<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>How And Where Are Natural Killer Cells Produced?<\/h2>\n<p>Even though NK Cells were discovered in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverymedicine.com\/Michael-Boyiadzis\/2009\/07\/28\/nk-cells-in-cancer-immunotherapy-three-decades-of-discover\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1970<\/a>s, science still doesn\u2019t fully understand these cells.<\/p>\n<p>We know for certain that Natural Killer Cells <strong>develop from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)<\/strong>. HSCs are immature cells that can evolve into all blood lineages, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.<\/p>\n<p>To become an NKC, an HSC first needs to acquire the <strong>IL-15 receptor \u2014 Interleukin-15<\/strong>. IL-15 is a cytokine, i.e. a tiny protein that encourages a hematopoietic stem cell to evolve into a Natural Killer Cell. IL-15 is powerful enough also to stimulate NK Cells to proliferate \u2014 to grow and divide to produce two daughter cells.<\/p>\n<p>At first, scientists believed NK Cells form exclusively in the <strong>bone marrow<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>However, recent evidence suggests that <strong>NKCs can also develop in our liver, tonsils, spleen, lungs, thymus and uterus!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once NKCs mature, they become elite warriors fully equipped to face off your immune system\u2019s enemies. Even though they have a short lifespan of just 14 days, once they enter your circulation, NKCs make those days count!<\/p>\n<p>They are on the ever-patrolling quest through your body, alert and ready to respond to a threat immediately.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"mceNonEditable cta-custom\" href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\/classification\/bio-warriors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Meet all BIOWARRIORS and discover their role in BIOWARS comics!<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"TextRun SCXW220240324 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW220240324 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\" data-ccp-charstyle-defn=\"{&quot;ObjectId&quot;:&quot;4e9b3e30-8dbf-4622-a0ff-20eaa16d95e4|150&quot;,&quot;ClassId&quot;:1073872969,&quot;Properties&quot;:[469775450,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,201340122,&quot;1&quot;,134233614,&quot;true&quot;,469778129,&quot;normaltextrun&quot;,335572020,&quot;1&quot;,469778324,&quot;Default Paragraph Font&quot;]}\">Natural Killer Cells Vs. Cytotoxic T-Cells \u2014 Are They <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2 SCXW220240324 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\">The<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW220240324 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"normaltextrun\"> Same?<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW220240324 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_16558\" style=\"width: 910px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16558\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16558\" src=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-t-cell-alpha-1.jpg\" alt=\"Alpha-1 is a T-Cell and an intelligence agent in the BioCosmos. His analysis of pathogens is crucial for the appropriate immune system response.\" width=\"900\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-t-cell-alpha-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-t-cell-alpha-1-300x120.jpg 300w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-t-cell-alpha-1-768x307.jpg 768w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-t-cell-alpha-1-440x176.jpg 440w, https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/natural-killer-cells-t-cell-alpha-1-635x254.jpg 635w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-16558\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alpha-1 is a T-Cell and an intelligence agent in the BioCosmos. Alongside Gamma-9, he specializes in analysis and strategy.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>We mentioned earlier that, T-Cells represent the third type of lymphocyte, alongside NK Cells and B-Cells.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Our bodies produce four major types of T-Cells:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cytotoxic or Killer T-Cells:<\/strong> The cytotoxic T-Cells are on a mission to kill off all infected cells that came in touch with a <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/explore\/glossary\/pathogen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pathogen<\/a>. They have receptors on their surface, which allow them to identify infectious cells and bind to them. Then, cytotoxic T-Cells can launch molecules at infected cells with the scope of destroying the pathogen and preventing the infection from spreading.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Helper T-Cells:<\/strong> This type of T-Cells is in charge of recognizing pathogens and inviting other cells of our immune system into battle. Helper T-Cells stimulate B-Cells to produce antibodies, but they also stimulate <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/what-are-macrophages\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">macrophages<\/a> and killer T-Cells to make an immune response to a threat.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regulatory T-Cells:<\/strong> As their name suggests, regulatory T-Cells regulate or suppress the immune response when it\u2019s not needed. Their goal is to prevent warriors of our immune system from damaging healthy cells and tissues.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Memory T-Cells:<\/strong> These cells are long-lived. Thanks to their impressive ability to memorize our body\u2019s response to a disease or even a vaccine, our immune system can respond much faster to a specific threat the next time it encounters it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The activity of cytotoxic T-Cells appears to be similar to that of Natural Killer Cells. Both units can launch cytotoxic granules at the infected enemy, but they aren\u2019t the same.<\/p>\n<p>You see, <strong>our bodies have two types of immunity<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Innate<\/li>\n<li>Adaptive<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Our <strong>innate immunity<\/strong> is the first line of defense against infections. Its role is to immediately shut the enemy down before it spreads too much throughout our bodies. <strong>NK Cells are a part of our body\u2019s innate immunity, alongside <a href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/the-biology-of-biowars-the-neutrophil-necessity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">neutrophils<\/a> and macrophages.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, <strong>adaptive immunity<\/strong> represents the second line of defense that we acquire over time. <strong>Killer T-Cells are warriors of the adaptive immune system.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Our B-Cells and T-Cells develop various receptors to identify antigens \u2014 tiny molecules on the pathogens\u2019 surface. Once they recognize them, they can attack them. Even though the adaptive immune response is slower than the innate immune system, its effects are long-lasting. For example, if you had measles as a kid, you won\u2019t catch them ever again, thanks to the activity of your adaptive immunity.<\/p>\n<p>Since <strong>Natural Killer Cells belong to your innate immunity, they hunt down just about any bacteria, virus and infections endangering your health.<\/strong> They store cytotoxic granules ready for launch at all times.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cytotoxic T-Cells are more specific. They can respond to one particular enemy type only after identifying its antigen.<\/strong> When they recognize the antigen, they prepare the cytotoxic attack and launch it at the pathogen.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"mceNonEditable cta-custom\" href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/characters\/classification\/microbes-mutants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Meet the bad guys from the BIOWARS comic book!<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways\u202fOn\u202fNatural Killer Cells<\/h2>\n<p>Natural Killer Cells are fascinating warriors of our immune system. They are merciless, silent and efficient.<\/p>\n<p>Their main mission is to keep you safe and healthy. That\u2019s why the NK Cells will promptly respond to any kind of pathogen threatening to hurt you in any way whatsoever.<\/p>\n<p>However, NK Cells are more than just, well, killers. If it weren\u2019t for them, becoming pregnant would be downright impossible for any woman. The activity of NK Cells inflames the womb, enabling the embryo to attach itself to the uterus.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What do you find most impressive about NK Cells? Let us know in the comments section below!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that human natural killer cells, a.k.a. the NK Cells, have an average life span of two weeks? During those two weeks, the NK Cells perform many important tasks to keep us safe from imposters threatening our body\u2019s well-being. But what is it exactly that natural killer cells do? And why are they [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":17832,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[525,78,396],"tags":[101,424,42],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.10 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Natural Killer Cells \u2014 Meet Your Body\u2019s Elite Warriors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ever wondered how natural killer cells earned their name? Find out what makes these immune cells pull the trigger and destroy pathogens in your body.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/2023.biowars.com\/blog\/natural-killer-cells\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Natural Killer Cells \u2014 Meet Your Body\u2019s Elite Warriors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ever wondered how natural killer cells earned their name? 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