Notch Regulates Innate Lymphoid Cell Plasticity during Human NK Cell Development.

Human NK cells develop in tonsils through discrete NK cell developmental intermediates (NKDIs), yet the mechanistic regulation of this process is unclear. We demonstrate that Notch activation in human tonsil-derived stage 3 (CD34CD117CD94NKp80) and 4A (CD34CD117CD94NKp80) NKDIs promoted non-NK innate lymphoid cell differentiation at the expense of NK cell differentiation. In contrast, stage 4B (CD34CD117CD94NKp80) NKDIs were NK cell lineage committed despite Notch activation.