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Natural Killer Cell Surface Antigen (CD3-CD56+ Marker Analysis)

Test Number 505016
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CPT

86357
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  • Updated on 06/09/2026

Test Details

Methodology

Flow cytometry

Result Turnaround Time

1 - 3 days

Turnaround time is defined as the usual number of days from the date of pickup of a specimen for testing to when the result is released to the ordering provider. In some cases, additional time should be allowed for additional confirmatory or additional reflex tests. Testing schedules may vary.

Test Includes

This test includes: percentage CD3-CD56+ natural killers (NK+); absolute CD3-CD56+ natural killers (NK+); absolute lymphocyte count.

Percentage CD3-CD56+ natural killers (NK+); absolute CD3-CD56+ natural killers (NK+); absolute lymphocyte count

This test includes: percentage CD3-CD56+ natural killers (NK+); absolute CD3-CD56+ natural killers (NK+); absolute lymphocyte count.

Use

This test is used to determine levels of natural killer cells in circulation and monitor immune stimulation therapy.

Custom Additional Information

Natural killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes that mediate MHC-unrestricted cytotoxicity against virus-infected and malignant cells and manufacture a number of cytokines following stimulation of the immune system.

Specimen Requirements

Specimen

Whole blood

Volume

Fill tube(s) to capacity.

Container

Lavender-top (EDTA) tube and yellow-top (ACD-A) or (ACD-B) tube

Collection Instructions

Immediately invert the tube eight to 10 times after collection. To maintain cellular viability, collect the specimen in either a yellow-top tube (ACD-A or ACD-B) for arrival at the laboratory within 48 hours of collection, or a lavender-top (EDTA) tube for arrival at the laboratory within 24 hours of collection. Record the date and time of venipuncture on both the tube(s) and the test requisition form.

Invert tube 8 to 10 times immediately after collection. To preserve cellular viability, collect specimen so it will arrive in the laboratory within 48 hours of collection. Indicate date and time of venipuncture on the tube(s) and on the test request form.

Immediately invert the tube eight to 10 times after collection. To maintain cellular viability, collect the specimen in either a yellow-top tube (ACD-A or ACD-B) for arrival at the laboratory within 48 hours of collection, or a lavender-top (EDTA) tube for arrival at the laboratory within 24 hours of collection. Record the date and time of venipuncture on both the tube(s) and the test requisition form.

Stability Requirements

TemperaturePeriod
Room temperature

Yellow-top (ACD-A) or (ACD-B) tube: 2 days

Lavender-top (EDTA) tube: 1 day

RefrigeratedUnstable
FrozenUnstable
Freeze/thaw cyclesUnstable

Reference Range

Reference intervals for adults have been established by the laboratory. See table.

CD3_CD56+ Reference Intervals for Lymphocyte Immunophenotyping
Age95% Confidence Interval
PercentageCells/mm3
MinimumMaximumMinimumMaximum
Pediatric reference intervals are from Comans-Bitter WM, de Groot R, van den Beemd R, et al. Immunophenotyping of blood lymphocytes in childhood. Reference values for lymphocyte subpopulations. J Pediatrics. 1997 Mar; 130(3):388-393.
Neonates6581001900
1 wk to 2 m3232001400
2 to 5 m2141001300
5 to 9 m2131001000
9 to 15 m3172001200
15 to 24 m3161001400
2 to 5 y4231001000
5 to 10 y42690900
10 to 16 y627701200
Adults11924406

Storage Instructions

Maintain specimen at room temperature.

Causes for Rejection

Hemolysis; specimen refrigerated or frozen; clotted specimen; contaminated specimen

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 1997 revised guidelines for performing CD4+ T-cell determinations in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).MMWR. 1997 Jan 10; 46:RR-2.
Stevens RA, Lempicki RA, Natarajan V, et al. General immunologic evaluation of patients with immunodeficiency virus infection. In: Detrick B, Hamilton RG, Folds JD, et al, eds. Manual of Molecular and Clinical Laboratory Immunology. 7th ed. Washington, DC: ASM Press;2006:chap 95.

LOINC® Map

Order Code Order Code Name Order Loinc Result Code Result Code Name UofM Result LOINC
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 506730 Ab NK (CD56/16) /uL 9728-7
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 506729 % NK (CD56/16) % 8112-5
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 005025 WBC x10E3/uL 6690-2
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 005033 RBC x10E6/uL 789-8
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 005041 Hemoglobin g/dL 718-7
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 005058 Hematocrit % 4544-3
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015065 MCV fL 787-2
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015073 MCH pg 785-6
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015081 MCHC g/dL 786-4
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 105007 RDW % 788-0
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015172 Platelets x10E3/uL 777-3
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015107 Neutrophils % 770-8
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015123 Lymphs % 736-9
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015131 Monocytes % 5905-5
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015149 Eos % 713-8
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015156 Basos % 706-2
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 115398 Immature Cells 75652-8
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015909 Neutrophils (Absolute) x10E3/uL 751-8
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015917 Lymphs (Absolute) x10E3/uL 731-0
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015925 Monocytes(Absolute) x10E3/uL 742-7
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015933 Eos (Absolute) x10E3/uL 711-2
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015941 Baso (Absolute) x10E3/uL 704-7
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015108 Immature Granulocytes % 71695-1
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015911 Immature Grans (Abs) x10E3/uL 53115-2
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015945 NRBC % 58413-6
505016 Natural Killer Cell Surface Ag 015180 Hematology Comments: 18314-5
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code506730
Result Code NameAb NK (CD56/16)
UofM/uL
Result LOINC9728-7
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code506729
Result Code Name% NK (CD56/16)
UofM%
Result LOINC8112-5
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code005025
Result Code NameWBC
UofMx10E3/uL
Result LOINC6690-2
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code005033
Result Code NameRBC
UofMx10E6/uL
Result LOINC789-8
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code005041
Result Code NameHemoglobin
UofMg/dL
Result LOINC718-7
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code005058
Result Code NameHematocrit
UofM%
Result LOINC4544-3
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015065
Result Code NameMCV
UofMfL
Result LOINC787-2
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015073
Result Code NameMCH
UofMpg
Result LOINC785-6
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015081
Result Code NameMCHC
UofMg/dL
Result LOINC786-4
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code105007
Result Code NameRDW
UofM%
Result LOINC788-0
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015172
Result Code NamePlatelets
UofMx10E3/uL
Result LOINC777-3
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015107
Result Code NameNeutrophils
UofM%
Result LOINC770-8
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015123
Result Code NameLymphs
UofM%
Result LOINC736-9
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015131
Result Code NameMonocytes
UofM%
Result LOINC5905-5
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015149
Result Code NameEos
UofM%
Result LOINC713-8
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015156
Result Code NameBasos
UofM%
Result LOINC706-2
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code115398
Result Code NameImmature Cells
UofM
Result LOINC75652-8
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015909
Result Code NameNeutrophils (Absolute)
UofMx10E3/uL
Result LOINC751-8
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015917
Result Code NameLymphs (Absolute)
UofMx10E3/uL
Result LOINC731-0
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015925
Result Code NameMonocytes(Absolute)
UofMx10E3/uL
Result LOINC742-7
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015933
Result Code NameEos (Absolute)
UofMx10E3/uL
Result LOINC711-2
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015941
Result Code NameBaso (Absolute)
UofMx10E3/uL
Result LOINC704-7
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015108
Result Code NameImmature Granulocytes
UofM%
Result LOINC71695-1
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015911
Result Code NameImmature Grans (Abs)
UofMx10E3/uL
Result LOINC53115-2
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015945
Result Code NameNRBC
UofM%
Result LOINC58413-6
Order Code505016
Order Code NameNatural Killer Cell Surface Ag
Order Loinc
Result Code015180
Result Code NameHematology Comments:
UofM
Result LOINC18314-5
Reflex Table for Immature Cells
Order Code Order Name Result Code Result Name UofM Result LOINC
Reflex 1 115399 Immature Cells 115400 Bands % 35332-6
Reflex 1
Order Code115399
Order NameImmature Cells
Result Code115400
Result NameBands
UofM%
Result LOINC35332-6
Reflex Table for Immature Cells
Order Code Order Name Result Code Result Name UofM Result LOINC
Reflex 1 115399 Immature Cells 115401 Metamyelocytes % 28541-1
Reflex 1
Order Code115399
Order NameImmature Cells
Result Code115401
Result NameMetamyelocytes
UofM%
Result LOINC28541-1
Reflex Table for Immature Cells
Order Code Order Name Result Code Result Name UofM Result LOINC
Reflex 1 115399 Immature Cells 115403 Myelocytes % 26498-6
Reflex 1
Order Code115399
Order NameImmature Cells
Result Code115403
Result NameMyelocytes
UofM%
Result LOINC26498-6
Reflex Table for Immature Cells
Order Code Order Name Result Code Result Name UofM Result LOINC
Reflex 1 115399 Immature Cells 115404 Promyelocytes % 26498-6
Reflex 1
Order Code115399
Order NameImmature Cells
Result Code115404
Result NamePromyelocytes
UofM%
Result LOINC26498-6
Reflex Table for Immature Cells
Order Code Order Name Result Code Result Name UofM Result LOINC
Reflex 1 115399 Immature Cells 115405 Blasts/blast like cells % 26498-6
Reflex 1
Order Code115399
Order NameImmature Cells
Result Code115405
Result NameBlasts/blast like cells
UofM%
Result LOINC26498-6
Reflex Table for Immature Cells
Order Code Order Name Result Code Result Name UofM Result LOINC
Reflex 1 115399 Immature Cells 115406 Megakaryocytes % 19252-6
Reflex 1
Order Code115399
Order NameImmature Cells
Result Code115406
Result NameMegakaryocytes
UofM%
Result LOINC19252-6
Reflex Table for Immature Cells
Order Code Order Name Result Code Result Name UofM Result LOINC
Reflex 1 115399 Immature Cells 115265 Other, Lineage Uncertain % 55433-7
Reflex 1
Order Code115399
Order NameImmature Cells
Result Code115265
Result NameOther, Lineage Uncertain
UofM%
Result LOINC55433-7