Immune cells, or white blood cells, are vital components of the immune system. They act as frontliners, defending the body against infections, diseases, and foreign invaders. They accomplish this by identifying and neutralising harmful pathogens, generating antibodies, and coordinating immune responses to maintain the body's health and well-being. A body equipped with a strong and resilient immune system can effectively protect the body against diseases.
NK cells, or Natural Killer cells, are a type of white blood cell known to rapidly and effectively “kill” mutated, cancerous and senescent cells*- hence its name. Distinguished from other immune cells, NK cells do not require specific antigen recognition to identify and eliminate infected or abnormal cells. They are the first responders when an infection, inflammation or tumour is detected. NK cells are recruited to the site where they “kill” these rogue by leveraging activating and inhibitory receptors on their surface. Due to these unique characteristics, NK cells have often been used in NK cell therapy to treat malignancies.
*Senescent cells are cells that have lost its ability to multiply but do not die as they normally should.
Our body's immune system comprises of both the innate and adaptive immune systems. The innate system includes immune cells such as NK cells, granulocytes and dendritic cells. When the need arises, NK cells will multiply in numbers to eliminate any infection or foreign invaders. NK cells serve as the “first line of defense” against pathogens before adaptive immune cells like T lymphocytes (T-Cells) & B lymphocytes (B-cells) are activated to help fight the remaining infection.
The graphs depict the results from an 11-years follow-up study examining the connection between NK cell cytotoxic activity and cancer incidence rates. Individuals with low NK cell activity (depicted in yellow) displayed higher cancer incidence rates compared to those with medium and high NK activity (represented in red and blue, respectively). As the study implies that enhanced NK cell activity may reduce the possibility of acquiring cancer, NK cell therapy may be adopted as a feasible alternative to improve the efficacy of cancer treatments.
CryoCord offers more than umbilical cord stem cell storage – we also actively engage in emerging research related to immune cells in oncology. Ongoing studies reveal an apparent link between having a healthy dose of NK cells and the projected lowered risk of developing cancer. Stay tuned for news regarding the realm of immunology and immune cell preservation.
We do not want scientific jargon to be in the way of you understanding the enormous health benefits and protection that cell and gene technology can bring to you and your family. Direct your questions to us. We look forward to answering them.
