Phenotype and functions of conventional and non-conventional NK cells

•Several tissues contain conventional and tissue-resident NK cell populations.•Tissue-resident NK cells have unique phenotypes and developmental pathways.•The functions of conventional and tissue-resident NK cells appear to be complementary.

Here we focus on the phenotypic and functional diversity of NK cells. We give an overview of the phenotype and developmental pathways of conventional and tissue-resident NK cells. We also discuss the potential complementary functions of conventional NK cells and tissue-resident NK cells in a variety of tissues.