title: The activation of the adaptive immune system: cross-talk between antigen-presenting cells, T cells and B cells.
abstract: The adaptive immune system consists of T and B cells that express clonally distributed antigen receptors. To achieve functional adaptive immune responses, antigen-specific T cell populations are stimulated by professional antigen-presenting cells like dendritic cells (DCs), which provide crucial stimulatory signals for efficient expansion and development of effector functions. Antigen-specific B cells receive costimulatory signals from helper T cells to stimulate affinity maturation and isotype switching. Here we elaborate on the interactions between DCs, T cells and B cells, and on the important signals for efficient induction of adaptive immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.denhaan@vumc.nl.
authors.forename: Joke M M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: den Haan
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands. Electronic address: R.Arens@lumc.nl.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arens
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Wytemaweg 80, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.vanzelm@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Menno C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: van Zelm
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching / Q000502:physiology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
keywords: B cells; Costimulation; Dendritic cells; T cells