自然杀伤细胞(NK)是一群不粘附、不吞噬、具有独特生物学功能的淋巴样细胞。NK细胞在机体抗御肿瘤的过程中起着极为重要的作用。NK细胞群是一个匀质性的细胞群,还是一个由不同亚群组成的异质性细胞群?这是人们颇感兴趣的问题。近年来,通过对NK细胞各种生物学特征的研究,对NK细胞的起源、分化、形态特征及表面标志已有了较为深入的了解。大量的研究充分表明,NK细胞是个异质性的细胞群。NK细胞既是一个异质性 Natural killer (NK) cells are non-adherent, non-phagocytic lymphoid cells that have unique biological functions. NK cells play an important role in the body’s defense against tumors. Is a NK cell population a homogeneous cell population or a heterogeneous cell population composed of different subpopulations? This is a matter of considerable interest. In recent years, NK cells through a variety of biological characteristics of NK cells on the origin, differentiation, morphological characteristics and surface markers have been more in-depth understanding. A large number of studies have fully demonstrated that NK cells are a heterogeneous population of cells. NK cells are both a heterogeneity