The immune patrol cell
Natural killer cells
Most immune cells have to be taught what to attack. Natural killer cells do not — they patrol continuously, inspecting cells and acting on what they find.
What it is
Natural killer cells are white blood cells of the innate immune system — the part of immunity that is ready from birth rather than trained by exposure. They circulate in the blood and move through tissue.
The "natural" in the name is the point: they do not need to be presented with a target in advance in order to recognise one.
What it does in the body
An NK cell works by a kind of double-check. It reads two sets of signals on a cell it meets: activating signals, which are displayed by cells under stress, and inhibitory signals — principally MHC class I, a marker that essentially every healthy cell in the body displays as identification.
Healthy cell, identification present: the inhibitory signal wins and the NK cell moves on. Cell in trouble that has lost or reduced that identification: the inhibitory signal is missing, the activating signal is unopposed, and the NK cell responds. Immunologists call this missing-self recognition.
When it acts, it releases granules containing proteins that make holes in the target’s membrane and enzymes that pass through them. NK cells also release cytokines — interferon-gamma above all — which recruit and direct other parts of the immune system.
Where RediCell’s come from
Differentiated from umbilical cord tissue, at or below passage two.
What RediCell supplies from this line
Listed for reference only. Cell counts, particle counts and fill volumes are the specification; pricing is not published here and ordering is restricted to verified practitioners and institutions.
| Code | Preparation | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| RC-NKCs-10 | Natural Killer Cells | 10M cells / 2 ml vial |
| RC-NKCs-25 | Natural Killer Cells | 25M cells / 5 ml vial |
| RC-EX-NK1 | NK Exosome Matrix w/ growth factors | 110B+ exosomes / 1 ml vial |