Abstract
Starting Over: The Search for Endogenous NKT Cell Ligands
Highlights
Like a circus performer in a highwire act, the human immune system teeters on a precarious perch
The precise role of Natural killer T (NKT) cells in the immune response is unclear; in some circumstances, the cytokines made by NKT cells can prod a developing immune response into high gear to help fight off microbial invaders and cancer
Just which glycolipids regulate NKT cell activity within the body? So far, the search for endogenous glycolipids that can activate NKT cells has turned up just one major contender: isoglobotrihexosylceramide
Summary
Like a circus performer in a highwire act, the human immune system teeters on a precarious perch. Natural killer T (NKT) cells, a specialized type of T cell, constitute one of the fulcrums upon which a functional and appropriate immune response balances. Present in very small numbers in the body, NKT cells can produce large amounts of cytokines, thereby potently manipulating the activities of other cells of the immune system.
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