As the research has continued, it has become increasingly clear that
natural killer (NK) cells are critical sentinels of the innate immune
response, playing important roles in protecting the body from numerous
pathogens and cancer in addition to contributing to normal pregnancy and
impacting the outcomes of transplantation. While the first edition
provided a valuable collection of classical cellular and in vivo
techniques to study NK cell functions, the Second Edition of "Natural
Killer Cell Protocols: Cellular and Molecular Methods" brings together
more recently developed methods, more refined techniques, and detailed
protocols designed to study NK cells within specialized tissue sites in
both mice and humans. In this collection of methods, international
leaders in the field cover topics ranging from the analysis of the
various stages of NK cell development and maturation to specialized
techniques for the identification of ligands for NK cell receptors. This
volume also includes an appendix, providing a rich resource summarizing
available reagents to study NK cells, cross-referencing KIR
nomenclature, and detailing the many HLA ligands for various KIR family
members. As a volume in the highly successful Methods in Molecular
Biology(TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their
respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents,
step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and thorough
notes sections, highlighting tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known
pitfalls.
Comprehensive and cutting-edge, "Natural Killer Cell Protocols: Cellular
and Molecular Methods, Second Edition" seeks to aid researchers and
further advance our understanding of the functions, maturation, and
regulation of these fascinating and dynamic cells.
