title: Establishing and maintaining the Langerhans cell network.
abstract: Langerhans cells (LCs) are the unique antigen-presenting cell of the epidermis. LCs have long been depicted in textbooks as the archetypical dendritic cell that alerts the immune system upon pathogen induced skin barrier breakage, however recent findings argue instead for a more tolerogenic function. While the LCs that populate the epidermis in steady-state arise from progenitors that seed the skin during embryogenesis, it is now apparent that a second pathway generating LCs from a bone marrow derived progenitor is active in inflammatory settings. This review emphasizes the determinants underpinning the establishment of the LC network in steady-state and under inflammatory conditions, as well as the transcriptional machinery governing their differentiation. The dual origin of LCs raises important questions about the functional differences between these subsets in balancing the epidermal immune response between immunity and tolerance.
authors: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: chopin@wehi.edu.au.
authors: Michaël
authors: M
authors: Chopin
authors: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: nutt@wehi.edu.au.
authors: Stephen L
authors: SL
authors: Nutt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018448:Models, Immunological; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Dendritic cell; ID2; Langerhans cell; PU.1; RUNX3; Transcription factor