Abstract
Innate Immunity 25(6), 2019
Dendritic cells (DC) are important key players in the innate immune system where they act as antigen-presenting cells, presenting processed antigen molecules on their cell surface to T cells. DC thus maintain a ‘messenger service’, communicating between the innate and the adaptive immune systems. DC not only stimulate but also regulate immune responses. They continuously communicate with other cells, either by direct cell–cell contacts or by cytokines.
This highly important review presents an overview on how DC control immune responses, focusing on their induction of peripheral tolerance in the lung and their role in the induction and control of diseases (e.g. bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The review also summarizes current research on DC modulation which aims to result in therapeutics which should help to control ungovernable immune responses.