Natural killer T cells

Natural Killer T (NKT) cells are a unique subset of T lymphocytes that bridge innate and adaptive immunity. They express an invariant T cell receptor (TCR) that recognizes lipid antigens presented by the non-classical MHC molecule CD1d. Upon activation, they rapidly produce large quantities of cytokines (e.g., IFN-γ, IL-4), influencing the activity of many other immune cells and shaping immune responses to infection, cancer, and autoimmunity.