Development of natural killer cells in human thymocyte culture: regulation by accessory cells

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Abstract
In vitro culture of human thymocytes resulted in the development of cells with natural killer (NK) activity and the acquisition of a pan‐NK antigen (NKH1) by a large number of thymocytes. The ability to kill the NK‐sensitive target, K562, was restricted to thymocytes expressing the NKH1 antigen. All NKH1+ thymocytes displayed a mature T cell phenotype, T3+T11+T8+T4−. Both the acquisition of NK activity and the development of cells with the NKH1+ phenotype could be suppressed by culturing thymocytes in the presence of adherent mononuclear cells. These results suggest that adherent accessory cells have the ability to regulate the development of T cell lineage NK cells.