| 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] |