ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the transition stage between the innate and adaptive immune responses – that of antigen presentation. Previously we have considered how foreign antigen entering the body must be translocated from the site of entry to regional lymphoid tissue for initiation of the adaptive immune response, and how this process is largely mediated by antigen presenting cells (APCs) such as the dendritic cell. This action of APCs may be considered to occur in three stages: • Antigen uptake. • Antigen processing. • Antigen presentation.
