Dendritic Cell Subsets are Key Regulators in the Immune System

textabstractDendritic cells (DCs) are the masters of command of innate and adaptive immunity. First, through their capacity to release cytokines and chemokines necessary to kill an invading microbe and attract/stimulate other cells involved in innate immunity, like neutrophils and macrophages. Secondly, through their capacity to take up and process antigen in antigen exposed areas, and present it in an immunogenic form to naive T cells after migration to the central lymphoid organs. However, in steady state DCs also play a crucial role in regulating the immune response to self-antigens.