ABSTRACT
Since their first description in 1973, 1 many important roles have been described for dendritic cells (DC) in the induction of immunity. DCs are a heterogeneous population of bone marrow derived leukocytes that efficiently link the innate and adaptive immune systems and play a crucial part in initiating, amplifying and controlling the immune response to pathogenic microorganisms. They have more recently been shown also to be important for the maintenance of tolerance to self-antigens. A more detailed understanding of the development and functions of this diverse family of cell types will doubtless provide increased opportunities for the therapeutic control of autoimmunity.
