# High-dimensional single-cell analysis of human natural killer cell heterogeneity

*PRI Rank #4 · Topics and Trends in Most Cited Immune Cell Function and Interaction Papers, Class of 2026*

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/immune-cell-function-and-interaction/2026/rank-4*

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Rank | #4 |
| 18m citations | 172 |
| Journal | Nature Immunology |
| Year | 2024 |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41590-024-01883-0 |
| Corresponding authors | Éric Vivier |
| Institution | Aix Marseille Université, France |

**Ranking page:** [Topics and Trends in Most Cited Immune Cell Function and Interaction Papers, Class of 2026](https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/immune-cell-function-and-interaction/2026)

**Paper link:** [10.1038/s41590-024-01883-0](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-024-01883-0)

## Topics

NK cells · innate lymphoid cells · Single-cell transcriptomics · CITE-seq · NK cell subsets · NK1 subset · NK2 subset · NK3 subset · NK cell subsets · transcription factors · cytokine responses · metabolic traits · ontogenetic origins · transcriptional trajectories · intraepithelial lymphocytes · Intratumoral NK cells · tonsil NK cells · lung NK cells · NK cell subsets · cross-tissue NK cell distribution

## Cite this ranking

```
Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Immune Cell Function and Interaction Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/immune-cell-function-and-interaction/2026. Accessed 2026-07-16.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459
```