Open AccessDendritic Cells: Origin and Differentiation
Author(s) -
Thomas Ranjeny,
Lipsky Peter E.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.140196
Subject(s) - biology , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , antigen presenting cell , cellular differentiation , antigen , bone marrow , immune system , major histocompatibility complex , mannose receptor , population , t cell , macrophage , biochemistry , demography , sociology , gene , in vitro
Dendritic cells (DC) are bone marrow‐derived cells that are specialized to take up, process and present antigen, and have the capacity to stimulate resting T cells in the primary immune response. DC are a unique population that is likely to derive from a myeloid precursor cell. DC differentiation from bone marrow precursors is enhanced by the cytokines GM‐CSF and tumor necrosis factor‐α. In contrast, it has been proposed that thymic DC and T cells arise from a common stem cell, and that these DC play a specific role in the negative selection of thymic T cells. A number of post‐bone marrow differentiation stages can be defined phenotypically and functionally. Undifferentiated DC have very active endocytic pathways, including receptor‐mediated endocytosis involving a mannose/β glucan receptor, and macropinocytosis of soluble antigen. In contrast, later stages of maturation are associated with a decreased ability to take up and process antigen, and increasing expression of major histocompatibility complex, adhesion and costimulatory molecules. Finally, activation of DC for full antigen‐presenting cell function can be identified by the expression of CD28 ligands. The inflammatory site in rheumatoid arthritis is a human model of DC differentiation in response to a chronic antigenic stimulus. The features of this DC model are discussed.