Immunogenicity: role of dendritic cells.

In the development of the immune response, the dendritic cell subset of leukocytes plays a key role in enhnacing immunogenicity. Dendritic cells can pick up antigens in the tissues and move to lymphoid organs, through which T cells continually recirculate. It is proposed that dendritic cells at these sites express functions which have been identified in tissue culture models. These involve efficient binding to antigen-specific T lymphocytes, as well as the induction of the lymphokines and growth factor receptors required for immunity. The dendritic cell system, apparently under the control of cytokines, is a sentinel designed to signal T cells that a significant antigen burden is present, and to generate the activated T lymphoblasts that interact with many other cell types to bring about an immune response.