Are Langerhans cells macrophages or dendritic cells?

Based on their developmental origin, LCs are a specialized epidermal tissue macrophage subset that is seeded into skin prenatally. Once thought to be prototypic representatives of the dendritic cell (DC) lineage, they are now considered to be a specialized subset of tissue-resident macrophages.

What are Langerhan cells?

Langerhans cells (LC) are tissue-resident macrophages of the skin, and contain organelles called Birbeck granules. They are present in all layers of the epidermis and are most prominent in the stratum spinosum….

What is the function of dendritic cells Langerhans cells in the epidermis?

Langerhans cells (LCs) reside in the epidermis as a dense network of immune system sentinels. These cells determine the appropriate adaptive immune response (inflammation or tolerance) by interpreting the microenvironmental context in which they encounter foreign substances.

What do dendritic cells differentiate from?

Dendritic cells (DC) are bone marrow-derived cells that are specialized to take up, process and present antigen, and have the capacity to stimulate resting T cells in the primary immune response. DC differentiation from bone marrow precursors in enhanced by the cytokines GM-CSF and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

What is the difference between dendritic cells and macrophages?

The main difference between macrophages and dendritic cells is that macrophages contribute to the initiation of the inflammatory response whereas dendritic cells activate with an inflammatory response to become antigen-presenting cells.

What kind of cells are Langerhans cells?

Langerhans cells (LC) are a unique population of tissue-resident macrophages that form a network of cells across the epidermis of the skin, but which have the ability to migrate from the epidermis to draining lymph nodes (LN). Their location at the skin barrier suggests a key role as immune sentinels.

What is dendritic Langerhans cells?

Langerhans cells (LC) are members of the dendritic cells family, residing in the basal and suprabasal layers of the epidermis and in the epithelia of the respiratory, digestive and urogenital tracts. They specialize in antigen presentation and belong to the skin immune system (SIS).

What are epidermal Langerhans cells?

What is the primary function of Langerhans cells?

Langerhans cells populate the epidermis from the early developmental stage as a dense network of immune system sentinels. These cells act as the outermost guard of the cutaneous immune system and are likely to induce the first reactions against pathogens encountered via the skin.

What kind of cell is a dendritic cell?

antigen-presenting cell
Dendritic cells are a type of antigen-presenting cell (APC) that form an important role in the adaptive immune system. The main function of dendritic cells is to present antigens and the cells are therefore sometimes referred to as “professional” APCs.