Dendritic Cell Differentiation from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Challenges and Progress.

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the major antigen-presenting cells of the immune system responsible for initiating and coordinating immune responses. These abilities provide potential for several clinical applications, such as the development of immunogenic vaccines. However, difficulty in obtaining DCs from conventional sources, such as bone marrow, peripheral blood, and cord blood, significantly hinders routine application. The use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is a valuable alternative for generating sufficient numbers of DCs to be used in basic and preclinical studies. Despite the many challenges that must be overcome to achieve an efficient protocol for obtaining the major DC types from hiPSCs, recent progress has been made. In this study, we review the current state of developing DCs from hiPSCs, as well as the key elements required to enable the routine use of hiPSC-derived DCs in preclinical and clinical assays.