Natural Killer (NK) cells, a key component of the innate immune system, are known to have a relatively short lifespan compared to some other immune cells.
Based on studies focusing on healthy young adults, these potent immune cells exhibit a short life cycle. Specifically, the half-life (t1/2) of NK cells in healthy young adults is less than 10 days. The half-life represents the time it takes for half of the existing population of cells to be replaced or removed. This rapid turnover is maintained by proliferation, although the reference notes that NK cell proliferation rates tend to fall in old age, potentially influencing their population dynamics over time.
Understanding the lifespan and turnover rate of NK cells is crucial for researchers studying immune responses, diseases, and the development of immunotherapies.
