Tissue-resident natural killer cells in the livers

Abstract

Nature killer (NK) cells are important lymphocytes of the innate immune system, well known for their pivotal roles in immune surveillance and defense against tumor and virus-infected cells. Current studies have revealed that NK cells are not a homogeneous population, but instead consist of distinct subsets with diverse characteristics. As an organ with predominant innate immunity, the liver is enriched with NK cells, among which two distinct NK cell subsets have recently been identified: conventional NK (cNK) cells and tissue-resident NK (trNK) cells. Liver trNK cells are markedly different from cNK cells in many aspects, representing a new lineage of innate lymphoid cell (ILC) family. Here, we summarize the phenotypic and functional features of liver trNK cells, and review current knowledge regarding developmental pathway of liver trNK cells. We also overview recent advances in human liver trNK cells and discuss the striking shared hallmarks of trNK cells in different tissues.