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Micro World

How small is a human natural killer cell?

A typical human natural killer cell is about 10 µm across.

What is measured: lymphocyte, average diameter

Human Natural Killer Cell (10 µm) drawn to scale beside a red blood cell (7.5 µm) and a cloud droplet (20 µm)
Drawn to scale, from left to right: Red blood cell (7.5 µm), Human Natural Killer Cell (10 µm) and Cloud droplet (20 µm).

Compare

How big is that, really?

  • A little wider than a red blood cell
  • About 2 would fit across a cloud droplet
  • About 6 would fit across a human hair
  • About 5× the length of an E. coli bacterium

Learn

Facts about Human Natural Killer Cell

Natural killer cells can destroy infected or cancerous cells without prior sensitization, acting fast as first responders.

Source: Kindt, Kuby Immunology; Janeway's Immunobiology

Micro World

NameSizeCompared with Human Natural Killer Cell
Human T Lymphocyte7 µm0.7×
Human B Lymphocyte7 µm0.7×
Cryptococcus neoformans8 µm0.8×
Human Melanocyte8 µm0.8×
Human Natural Killer Cell10 µmthis page
Human Pancreatic Beta Cell10 µmsame size
Rhizopus Spore10 µmsame size
Human Basophil12 µm1.2×
Human Dendritic Cell15 µm1.5×
Trichomonas vaginalis15 µm1.5×

Test your sense of scale

Which is bigger: Human Natural Killer Cell or Human Basophil?

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