Fig. 1

Major NK cell receptors and ligands. NK cells express a repertoire of activating (“+”; NKG2C, NCRs, CD16, NKG2D) and inhibitory (“−”; NKG2A, KIRs) receptors on their cell surface. The activation of NK cells is dependent on the integration of the signals received by these receptors. The ligands responsible for NK activation and inhibition are shown above their corresponding receptors. Additionally, NK cells also express cytokine receptors that regulate cell functions such as proliferation and persistence and, in certain disease contexts, a memory-like phenotype