Final answer:
Natural killer cells release perforins to create pores in the membranes of invasive cells, allowing granzymes to enter and prompt apoptosis, leading to the lysis of the target cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
Natural killer cells attack invaders by releasing perforins, which create pores in the invading cell's membrane, leading to cell lysis.
Perforin is a protein that forms pores in the membranes of infected cells, allowing another substance called granzyme to enter. Granzyme is a protein-digesting enzyme that triggers apoptosis within the cell once it has passed through the perforin-created pores. The release of these substances from natural killer cells directly leads to the destruction of cells that are infected or have become cancerous, thus playing a crucial role in the body's immune response.