The research reveals that educated NK cells expressing self-MHC specific inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) accumulate granzyme B and Chondroitin Sulfate-4 in dense-core secretory lysosomes that converge close to the centrosome. Secretory lysosomes are critical to the cytotoxic function of NK cells, so these changes illuminate the mechanisms by which they learn to respond to cells that might be a danger to the organism.
Natural Killer cells are lymphocytes that can kill tumor cells or virus-infected cells without requiring antibodies. NK cells express both activating and inhibitory receptors on their surface, and the function of NK cells is regulated by the delicate signaling balance between these two types of receptors.