Natural killer (NK) cells are the cytotoxic effectors of the innate immune system and play a major role in immune surveillance. As cells that generate rapid immune responses to foreign pathogens and tumor cells, the omics study of NK cells is beneficial in unraveling the mechanisms of diseases and developing potential therapeutic approaches. Through deep collaboration, CD Genomics provides reliable and efficient NK cell isolation services to customers worldwide, providing quality research materials for immunomics projects.
NK cells are natural lymphocytes (ILC), which are essential for immune surveillance and subsequent host defense against viral infections and cancer cells as part of the natural immune system. In humans, NK cells make up 8-20% of circulating lymphocytes, while in laboratory-inbred mice, NK cells make up 2-5% of spleen and bone marrow lymphocytes. Unlike other lymphocytes, such as B cells, T cells, and natural killer T (NKT) cells, NK cells do not express antigen-specific receptors such as clonal B cell receptors, T cell receptors, or the CD3ε complex. In contrast, NK cells function in an antigen-independent manner, which does not normally generate immune memory or long-term protective immunity.
Various methods have been established to isolate NK cells according to their specific gravity, phenotype, and biological functions, mainly including Percoll density gradient isolation and magnetic cell sorter separation.
Percoll consists of colloidal silica particles of 15 to 30 nm diameter (23% w/w in water) which have been coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Because Percoll does not penetrate biological membranes and is non-toxic to cells, it is widely used to separate cells, subcellular components, bacteria, and viruses, as well as to separate damaged cells and their debris from intact living cells. Five different densities of Percoll at 50%, 47.5%, 45%, 42.5%, and 40% are used to isolate NK cells. Generally, NK cells are located at the interface between 42.5% and 45% Percoll.
The basic principle of the Magnetic Cell Sorter Separation (MACS) method is to use cell surface markers for the purpose of isolating and purifying NK cells. The isolation method includes both positive and negative selection methods. For example, the positive selection method adds to the reaction an antibody to the NK cell surface marker molecule CD16, which is labeled with magnetic beads. The antibody causes NK cells to bind specifically to it to form a magnetic immune complex that is retained in the magnetic column. The negative selection method uses magnetic bead-labeled antibodies to remove T cells (CD3+), B cells (CD19*), and monocytes (CD14*) from human peripheral blood.
The target cells killed by NK cells are mainly tumor cells, virus-infected cells, larger pathogens such as fungi and parasites, and organs and tissues from allogeneic transplants. Notably, the omics study of NK cells facilitates further research into tumors, the tumor microenvironment, and treatment-mediated changes. Based on our broad experience in immunomics research, CD Genomics can isolate NK cells for biomaterials from human, non-human primates, mice, and rats to provide reliable experimental material for your immunomics projects.
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High Purity: the purity of the obtained cells reaches (90%-99%). |
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Great Yield: the obtained rate is up to 90%. |
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Low Impact on Cell Viability: the rate of viable cells is greater than 95%. |
CD Genomics is dedicated to the study of the transcriptome, proteome, and a variety of other omics studies of a wide range of immune cells to advance the development of disease-related immunomics and the development and monitoring of therapies. By working with our clients, CD Genomics helps you overcome bottlenecks in your projects. Please contact us for more information.
