Dendritic cell
hideDendritic cells (DCs) are immune cells that form part of the mammalian immune system. Their main function is to process antigen material and present it on the surface to other cells of the immune system, thus functioning as antigen-presenting cells.
Dendritic cells are present in small quantities in tissues that are in contact with the external environment, mainly the skin (where there is a specialized dendritic cell type called Langerhans cells) and the inner lining of the nose, lungs, stomach and intestines. They can also be found in an immature state in the blood. Once activated, they migrate to the lymphoid tissues where they interact with T cells and B cells to initiate and shape the adaptive immune response. At certain development stages they grow branched projections, the dendrites, that give the cell its name. However, these do not have any special relation with neurons, which also possess similar appendages. Immature dendritic cells are also called veiled cells, in which case they possess large cytoplasmic 'veils' rather than dendrites.
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News tagged with dendritic cells
Researchers identify key behavior of immune response to Listeria
Oct 06, 2009 |
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A team of University of British Columbia microbiologists has identified a key defence mechanism used by the immune system against Listeria with strong implications for the future development of vaccines.
'Treason' by immune system cells aids growth of multiple myeloma
Oct 05, 2009 |
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Multiple myeloma cancer cells thwart many of the drugs used against them by causing nearby cells to turn traitor - to switch from defending the body against disease to shielding the myeloma cells from harm - Dana-Farber Cancer ...
Unexpected reservoir of monocytes discovered in the spleen
Jul 30, 2009 |
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It takes a spleen to mend a broken heart - that's the conclusion of a surprising new report from researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Systems Biology, directed by Ralph Weissleder, MD, PhD. ...
Study shows cancer vaccines led to long-term survival for patients with metastatic melanoma
Jul 28, 2009 |
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Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian today announced promising data from a clinical study showing patient-specific cancer vaccines derived from patients' own cancer cells and immune cells were well tolerated and resulted in ...
Trojan horse for ovarian cancer -- nanoparticles turn immune system soldiers against tumor cells
Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine
Jul 15, 2009 |
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In a feat of trickery, Dartmouth Medical School immunologists have devised a Trojan horse to help overcome ovarian cancer, unleashing a surprise killer in the surroundings of a hard-to-treat tumor.
Microscopic 'beads' could help create 'designer' immune cells that ignore transplanted organs
Jul 06, 2009 |
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The future of organ transplantation could include microscopic beads that create "designer" immune cells to help patients tolerate their new organ, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.
Team develops DNA compounds that could help treat lupus
May 27, 2009 |
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A research team led by a University of Iowa investigator has generated DNA-like compounds that effectively inhibit the cells responsible for systemic lupus erythematosus -- the most common and serious form of lupus. There ...
Study reveals current multi-component vaccines may need reworking
May 07, 2009 |
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Current strategies for designing vaccines against HIV and cancers, for instance, may enable some components in multi-component vaccines to cancel the effect of others on the immune system, eliminating their ability to provide ...
New clinical study probes how light fights psoriasis
Apr 29, 2009 |
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Ultraviolet light is a proven treatment for psoriasis, one of humanity’s oldest known diseases. Sunshine can also beat back the chronic autoimmune disorder of the skin. But explaining light’s therapeutic effects ...
Immune system researchers win $500K medical prize
Apr 24, 2009 |
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(AP) -- The nation's richest prize in medicine and biomedical research was awarded Friday to three immune system researchers for work that led to new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes.
Dendritic cells ensure immune tolerance
Mar 16, 2009 |
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Dendritic cells are essential to the body's immune defenses. Now, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen (Germany) researchers show that they also have to protect the body from itself: They help to identify any immune cells ...
Implants mimic infection to rally immune system against tumors
Jan 22, 2009 |
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Bioengineers at Harvard University have shown that small plastic disks impregnated with tumor-specific antigens and implanted under the skin can reprogram the mammalian immune system to attack tumors.
Study in mice shows mechanisms behind immune responses to brain tumors
Jan 13, 2009 |
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Findings from a study conducted in mice, published in the open access journal PLoS Medicine next week, provide new insights into how an effective immune response to brain tumors could potentially be brought about in humans ...
