Progesterone increases the number of Langerhans cells in human vaginal epithelium

Abstract

Sex hormones control mucosal immunity in the female reproductive tract throughout a woman’s reproductive cycle (1). Langerhans cells (LCs) are bone marrow–derived dendritic cells that play a major role in the immunity of the female lower reproductive tract (1). Resident LCs of the vaginal epithelium detect antigens and present those antigens to T cells in the same way LCs do in the epidermis.