Mucosal surfaces rely on several immune mechanisms to protect against viral and bacterial pathogens while preserving epithelial barrier integrity. Compared with other mucosal sites, the vaginal tract has been less well studied, with several immune cell populations therein remaining poorly characterized. In this preprint (not peer-reviewed), Vick et al. investigate the functions of circulating and tissue-resident natural killer (NK) cells in the vaginal tract during homeostasis and infection.
