Dendritic cells: not just another cell type in the kidney, but a complex immune sentinel network.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for inducing and regulating adaptive immunity. These cells also exist in the kidney, where, however, their function had been unknown. A study by Soos et al. now demonstrates that renal DCs form an intricate cellular network that continuously surveys the tubulointerstitium, and reveals a previously unrecognized immune sentinel system of the kidney.