Differentiation of human antigen-presenting dendritic cells from CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells in vitro.

Abstract

Antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) originate from hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow through successive steps of differentiation (-). In peripheral tissues (e.g., skin), DCs are exposed to and capture antigens like viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens through endocytosis and phagocytosis. In the presence of maturation-inducing stimuli, such as inflammatory cytokines, DCs undergo a process of maturation and migrate via the lymphatic vessels to the secondary lymphoid organs. In the lymphoid tissue, they present the processed antigens to T cells in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules and initiate potent antigen specific immune responses. Giving their unique properties as professional antigenpresenting cells, DCs are currently being assessed for medical therapy, such as immunotherapy of cancer (,).