category killer

(noun)

a product, service, brand, or company that has such a distinct sustainable competitive advantage that competing firms find it almost impossible to operate profitably in that industry (or in the same local area)

Related Terms

Examples of category killer in the following topics:

  • Specific T-Cell Roles

    • There are many different categories and subsets of T cells that perform different roles for the immune system.
    • Differentiation for most categories of T cells occurs during the the T cell maturation, but memory cell and helper T subset differentiation occurs after maturation following antigen presentation.
    • The different categories of T cells are the basis for cell-mediated immune system activity.
    • Natural killer T cells (NKT cells – not to be confused with natural killer cells) bridge the adaptive immune system with the innate immune system.

  • Lymphocytes

    • The main categories of T cells are:
    • They function similarly to natural killer cells by binding to MHC class I and releasing perforin, granzymes, and proteases to induce apoptosis in a pathogen.
    • These are the main categories for T lymphocytes, however there are several other subtypes of T cells for these categories, and other categories altogether that aren't fully understood.
    • Some of the major categories of B cells that arise following antigen presentation include:

  • Natural Killer Cells

    • Natural killer cells (or NK cells) are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system.
    • Natural killer cells (or NK cells) are a type of cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system.
    • They were named "natural killers" because of the initial notion that they do not require activation in order to kill cells that are missing "self" markers of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class 1.
    • NK cells differ from Natural Killer T cells (NKT) phenotypically, by origin, and by respective effector functions.
    • Natural killer cell activation is determined by the balance of inhibitory and activating receptor stimulation—for example, if the inhibitory receptor signaling is more prominent, then NK cell activity will be inhibited.

  • Natural Killer Cells

    • Natural killer cells are part of the innate immune response that recognize abnormal MHC I molecules on infected/tumor cells and kill them.
    • After a pathogen enters the body, infected cells are identified and destroyed by natural killer (NK) cells, which are a type of lymphocyte that can kill cells infected with viruses or tumor cells (abnormal cells that uncontrollably divide and invade other tissue).
    • Describe the role of natural killer cells in the immune response

  • Natural Killer Cells

    • Natural Killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes critical for the innate immune system.
    • Natural killer cells (NK cells) are cytotoxic lymphocyte critical to the innate immune system.
    • They were named "natural killers" because they were originally thought to not require cytokine or chemokine activation to be work, however later research proved that cytokines play a role in guiding NK cells to stressed cells that may need to be destroyed.
    • Describe the role of natural killer cells in the innate immune system

  • Lymphoid Cells

    • The three major types of lymphocyte are T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells.
    • Natural killer cells (NK cells) are a part of the innate immune system and play a major role in defending the host from both tumors and virally infected cells.
    • They function similarly to natural killer cells by binding to MHC class I and releasing granzymes, however they will only bind to cells that express the antigen that they are specific to.

  • Tests That Differentiate Between T Cells and B cells

    • T-lymphocytes can be distinguished from other lymphocytes like B cells and natural killer cells (NK cells) by the presence of a T cell receptor (TCR) on the cell surface.
    • Alternatively, B-cells can be distinguished from other lymphocytes like T cells and natural killer cells (NK cells) by the presence of a protein on the B-cell's outer surface called a B-cell receptor (BCR).

  • Type IV (Delayed Cell-Mediated) Reactions

    • Cell-mediated immunity is an immune response that does not involve antibodies, but rather involves the activation of phagocytes, natural killer cells (NK), antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, and the release of various cytokines in response to an antigen.
    • 2. activating macrophages and natural killer cells, enabling them to destroy pathogens

  • White Blood Cells

    • They include B cells, T cells, and natural killer cells.
    • Natural killer cells attack a variety of infectious microbes and certain tumor cells.

  • Immunotherapy for Cancer

    • This involves immune cells such as the natural killer cells (NK cells), lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK cells), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), and dendritic cells (DC).
    • Topical immunotherapy utilizes an immune enhancement cream (imiquimod), which is an interferon producer, causing the patient's own killer T cells to destroy warts, actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, and superficial spreading melanoma.