Isolation and Analysis of Natural Killer Cells in Chickens

Chicken natural killer (NK) cells have been characterized mainly based on functional properties in a variety of systems (reviewed in refs .1 ,2 ). A detailed analysis of their ontogeny, phenotype, function, tissue distribution and the receptors involved in killing of target cells has been difficult owing to the lack of NK cell specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). In addition, a chicken interleukin-2 (IL-2) homologue essential to establish in vitro NK cell lines has only recently been identified (3 ).