Used in immunological research to study natural killer (NK) cell activation and immune surveillance. Facilitates binding studies with ligands such as MICA, MICB, and ULBP proteins to understand immune recognition mechanisms. Employed in protein-protein interaction assays, including ELISA and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), due to the His tag enabling easy detection and purification. Supports development of immunotherapies by serving as a target for therapeutic antibodies or recombinant receptor constructs. Also used in structural studies to map binding interfaces and design modulators of NKG2D-mediated immune responses.