Lymphokine-Activated Killer Cells

**Semantic type:** Cell|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** Killer cell lymphocytes activated in the presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2). Lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAKs) are cytotoxic effector cells with an exceptionally wide target cell spectrum including normal and malignant cells of different origins. LAK cells exhibit a profound heterogeneity with regard to phenotype surface marker expression; it remains to be determined if they represent a unique cell lineage.

**Synonyms:** - Cells, LAK - LAK Cells - LAK cell - Lymphokine Activated Killer Cell - Therapeutic Lymphokine-Activated Killer Cells - lymphokine-activated killer cell