Plasmacytoid dendritic cells--virus experts of innate immunity.
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) have emerged as a principal subset of dendritic cells in both human and mouse. PDC morphology, surface markers, their migration in vivo and the ability to rapidly produce large amounts of type I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) in response to toll like receptor (TLR) triggering sets them apart from other dendritic cell subsets. This review highlights the features that make pDC uniquely able to sense and respond to viral infection.
Barchet
Winfried
W
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8118, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. barchet@pathology.wustl.edu
Cella
Marina
M
Colonna
Marco
M
D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*