Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes that play an important role in the innate immune system analogous to cytotoxic T cells in the adaptive immune system. NK cells differentiate and mature in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils and thymus before entering circulation. They recognize and kill stressed, virally infected, or tumor cells through either direct cytolytic granule release or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Cytokines released during viral infection activate NK cells to secrete interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha to help control viral spread and recruit other immune cells.