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Langerhans cell migration
Author(s) -
Cumberbatch M.,
Dearman R. J.,
Griffiths C. E. M.,
Kimber I.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
clinical and experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1365-2230
pISSN - 0307-6938
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2230.2000.00678.x
Subject(s) - chemokine , epidermis (zoology) , lymph , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , lymphatic system , langerhans cell , antigen , tumor necrosis factor alpha , biology , pathology , medicine , anatomy
Epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) play pivotal roles in the induction of cutaneous immune responses. Encounter with antigen in the skin, or other stimuli, cause the mobilization of LC and their migration, via afferent lymphatics, to draining lymph nodes where they localize within the paracortex. During their movement from the skin LC acquire the characteristics of immunostimulatory dendritic cells (DC) such that the antigen‐bearing cells which accumulate in lymph nodes are able to provoke specific T‐lymphocyte responses. Epidermal cytokines initiate and regulate LC migration (and maturation), of particular importance being interleukin‐1β and tumour necrosis factor‐α. Collectively, these cytokines, together with relevant chemokine receptor–ligand interactions, effect the liberation of LC from the epidermis and their directed movement to, and localization within, peripheral lymph nodes. Described here are the phenotypic changes induced during the activation of LC and the mechanisms through which their migration is regulated.