The dermal dendrocyte.

In summary, the interstitial cell of the normal human dermis is one of the most highly dendritic cells found in human tissue outside the human brain. There are similar cells found in all collagen-rich tissues, and the morphologic similarities to the normal dendritic osteocyte are unmistakable. Dermal dendrocytes are found to have several cytochemical and immunocytochemical characteristics of cells common to the mononuclear macrophage system. It is likely that dermal dendrocytes are part of an immunologically competent system that is indigenous to the dermis and is either supplementary or complementary to immunologically functional cells of the epidermis. Dermal dendrocytes appear to participate in certain immunologically associated inflammatory dermatoses and are the probable cells of origin for the generic group of fibrous histiocytomas arising in dermis and other collagen-rich tissues.