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What is Dendritic Cell?

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Dendritic cells are antigens-presenting cells with well-developed tree branch shaped dendrites and its immune adjuvant immune function was discovered by Zanvil A. Cohn and Ralph M. Steinman in 1973. Ralph M. Steinman received the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 2011 in recognition of his researches on the immune functions of the dendritic cells as the central immune cells.

Dendritic cells exist in mucous membrane of skin, nose, lung, stomach or intestine that is easily exposed to the external environment, and are also observed in blood. Immature dendritic cells seek and absorb foreign microorganisms, pathogens and antigens protein, etc. and pulverize them in order to convey information of each these antigens to the surface of the dendritic cells. In such process, the dendritic cells become activated and move to the lymphatic gland. It provides information on the antigens to large number of T cells and B cells to control the immune reaction by activating or inhibiting antigens-specific immune reaction. That is, a dendritic cell is a representative immune cell that induces and proliferate well-trained immune cells for the absorbed antigens.

Therefore, if dendritic cells fail to function normally, autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, rheumatic arthritis and allergic hyper sensitive reaction manifest, or normal immune reaction against the infectious diseases or carcinogenesis does not occur.