Dendritic Cell (DC)

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) of the mammalian immune system. Their primary function is to process antigen material and present it on their surface to T cells, thereby acting as crucial messengers between the innate and adaptive branches of immunity. DCs play a pivotal role in initiating, shaping, and regulating immune responses. They are involved in both immunity and tolerance. Different subtypes exist, including classical/myeloid DCs, plasmacytoid DCs, and Langerhans cells. They express a variety of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), enabling them to detect pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Dendritic cell biology is exploited for vaccine development and studied as therapeutic targets/modulators in autoimmune disease contexts.

Other names

cellula dendritiformisLangerhans cellsClassical/Myeloid DCsPlasmacytoid DCs

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