What is the function of plasmacytoid dendritic cells?

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are bone marrow-derived cells that secrete large amounts of type I interferon (IFN) in response to viruses. Type I IFNs are pleiotropic cytokines with antiviral activity that also enhance innate and adaptive immune responses.

What do plasmacytoid dendritic cells secrete?

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a specific subset of naturally occurring dendritic cells, that secrete large amounts of Type I interferon and play an important role in the immune response against viral infection.

Do plasmacytoid dendritic cells present antigens?

One of the remaining enigmas of the dendritic cell (DC) network is the potential contribution of plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) to antigen presentation. Instead, pDCs are regarded as immunomodulating cells, capable of directing the immune response through their secretion of large amounts of type I interferons.

Do dendritic cells have immune function?

Dendritic cells (DCs) represent a heterogeneous family of immune cells that link innate and adaptive immunity. The main function of these innate cells is to capture, process, and present antigens to adaptive immune cells and mediate their polarization into effector cells (1).

What are the types of dendritic cells?

Related Stories. In primates, the dendritic cells are usually divided into two main groups: the myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and the plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs).

Where are plasmacytoid dendritic cells found?

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) resemble antibody-secreting plasma cells and are believed to arise from a lymphoid progenitor. pDCs are found in blood and in lymphoid tissues such as lymph nodes, tonsils, spleen, thymus, and Peyer’s patches.

What do dendritic cells do best?

Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells (also known as accessory cells) of the mammalian immune system. Their main function is to process antigen material and present it on the cell surface to the T cells of the immune system. They act as messengers between the innate and the adaptive immune systems.

Where is dendritic cells found?

Dendritic cells are found in tissue that has contact with the outside environment such as the over the skin (present as Langerhans cells) and in the linings of the nose, lungs, stomach and intestines. Immature forms are also found in the blood.

How do I activate dendritic cells?

DCs are activated directly by conserved pathogen molecules and indirectly by inflammatory mediators produced by other cell types that recognise such molecules. In addition, it is likely that DCs are activated by poorly characterised cellular stress molecules and by disturbances in the internal milieu.

What are monocyte derived dendritic cells?

Monocyte-derived Dendritic cells (Mo-DC) are a distinct DC subset, involved in inflammation and infection, they originate from monocytes upon stimulation in the circulation and their activation and function may vary in autoimmune diseases.

How long do dendritic cells live?

These DCs showed 47% labeling at 10 days and 55% ± 2% labeling at 14 days, values similar to those for equivalent DC subsets in the pooled cutaneous LN. Accordingly, it appears the lifespan of the potentially migratory Langerhans cells in the epidermis itself is long but variable and can last much longer than 2 weeks.

Are there dendritic cells in the brain?

DC have been found in many of the major organs in mammals (e.g. skin, heart, lungs, intestines and spleen), while the brain has long been considered devoid of DC in the absence of neuroinflammation.

Why are plasmacytoid dendritic cells important to the immune system?

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) comprise a subset of dendritic cells characterized by their ability to produce large amount of type I interferon (IFN-I/α). Originally recognized for their role in modulating immune responses to viral stimulation, growing interest has been directed toward their contribution to tumorigenesis.

What is the role of pDCs in immunity?

The significant role played by pDCs in regulating both the innate and adaptive components of the immune system makes them a critical player in cancer immunology. In this review, we discuss the development and function of pDCs as well as their role in innate and adaptive immunity.

What kind of dendritic cells are found in pDCs?

In humans, pDCs exhibit plasma cell morphology and express CD4, HLA-DR, CD123, blood-derived dendritic cell antigen-2 (BDCA-2), Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR9 within endosomal compartments.

Why are PDCs a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity?

Because they are capable of activating other immune cells, pDCs serve as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. A pDC’s ability to stimulate T cells is heightened following maturation.