Organization of the mouse and human DC network.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen sensing and presenting cells in the body and are able to both initiate and fine-tune complex immune responses on a multitude of levels. In this review, we outline recent advances in our understanding of the organization of the DC network in mice and humans, the functional specialization of the DC subsets that compose these networks, and how this has enabled us to begin to elucidate cross-species parallels. Understanding the inter-relationships between DC populations in both man and mouse will ultimately allow us to exploit our knowledge of DC biology for effective therapeutic strategies.