GRANULATED METRIAL GLAND-CELLS - NOT PART OF THE NATURAL-KILLER-CELL LINEAGE

The relationship of rodent granulated metrial gland (GMG) cells to the natural killer (NK) cell lineage is reviewed. The antigenic profile o f GMG cells provides insufficient evidence to indicate that these cell s form part of the NK cell lineage. No good evidence is found that GMG cells are cytotoxic to the NK cytotoxicity target, Yac-1. In Beige mi ce, which have a defect in the lytic pathway of NK cells, GMG cells we re found to kill labyrinthine cytotrophoblast. It is concluded that GM G cells are not a type of NK cell but a novel member of the leucocyte population.