Unique features of NK cell development during ontogeny revealed in studies of RAG‐1‐deficient mice

Abstract

atural killer (NK) cells link early innateimmune responses with adaptiveimmune responses. ‘Adaptive’ immune cells,that is, the T- and B-lymphocytes, expressclonally distributed receptors, the expressionof which is dependent on the recombinationactivation genes-1 (RAG-1) and RAG-2.Inthe absence of RAG-1 and/or RAG-2 proteins,T- and B-cell receptors cannot be formed andthe cells fail to undergo normal develop-ment.