Term Name: natural killer cell
Synonyms: large granular lymphocyte, NK cell, null cell
Definition: A lymphocyte that can spontaneously kill a variety of target cells without prior antigenic activation via germline encoded activation receptors and also regulate immune responses via cytokine release and direct contact with other cells.
Ontology: Cell Ontology [CL:0000623]

Relationships
develops from: pro-NK cell
is a type of: group 1 innate lymphoid cell
has subtype: CD94-negative, Ly49CI-negative natural killer cell hepatic pit cell immature natural killer cell mature natural killer cell pre-natural killer cell
capable_of: natural killer cell mediated immunity regulation of immune response
inverse disjoint_from: T cell
lacks_plasma_membrane_part: CD3 epsilon CD14 molecule CD19 molecule membrane-spanning 4-domains subfamily A member 1