The dendritic cell advantage: New focus for immune-based therapies.
Dendritic cells (DCs) provide a much earlier and antigen-specific means for manipulating the immune response. The best-studied function of DCs is to convert antigens into immunogens for T cells. The "DC advantage" entails a myriad of functions. DCs are more than antigen-presenting cells; they are accessories or adjuvants or catalysts for triggering and controlling immunity. Another special feature of DCs is their location and movement in the body; DCs are stationed at surfaces where antigens gain access to the body. The events that make up the life history of DCs are now being unraveled in molecular terms. As research on DCs expands, more potential functions and more sites for their manipulation are becoming apparent.
Steinman
R M
RM
Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021-6399, USA.