Why monocytes are antigen presenting cells?

Activated monocytes operate as innate effectors during inflammatory and pathogenic responses, performing phagocytosis, producing cytokines and various other mediators [1, 2]. Monocytes also participate in adaptive immunity as antigen presenting cells [3]. Monocytes are a heterogeneous population.

Is a monocyte an antigen presenting cell?

DCs are specialized antigen-presenting cells that can efficiently initiate immune responses [7,8], and there has been a long interest in the role of monocytes as potential precursors for these cells. Nonetheless, monocytes do have a role as precursors for important antigen-presenting cells, including DCs.

Why are macrophages called antigen presenting cells?

An antigen-presenting cell (APC) is an immune cell that detects, engulfs, and informs the adaptive immune response about an infection. Sometimes a dendritic cell presents on the surface of other cells to induce an immune response, thus functioning as an antigen-presenting cell. Macrophages also function as APCs.

What are the antigen presenting cells?

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are a heterogeneous group of immune cells that mediate the cellular immune response by processing and presenting antigens for recognition by certain lymphocytes such as T cells. Classical APCs include dendritic cells, macrophages, Langerhans cells and B cells.

How do monocytes differentiate?

Monocyte differentiation Monocytes are differentiated from the committed precursor termed macrophage-DC precursor (MDP) mainly resident in bone marrow and differentiate into either dendritic cells or macrophages.

Is a phagocyte an antigen presenting cell?

Phagocytes form part of the innate immune system, which animals, including humans, are born with. Phagocytes, in particular dendritic cells and macrophages, stimulate lymphocytes to produce antibodies by an important process called antigen presentation.

What is the purpose of antigen presentation?

Antigen presentation serves to ensure adaptive immune responses are initiated to invading microorganisms. Therefore, in an effort to survive in the host, pathogens target antigen presentation pathways and disable their function.

Why do monocytes differentiate into macrophages?

These macrophages are highly aggressive against foreign substances. However, an increase in macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF, or CSF-1), which is continuously secreted by cells to regulate the production of monocytes in the body, causes them to differentiate into anti-inflammatory macrophages.

What is the function of monocytes?

A type of immune cell that is made in the bone marrow and travels through the blood to tissues in the body where it becomes a macrophage or a dendritic cell. Macrophages surround and kill microorganisms, ingest foreign material, remove dead cells, and boost immune responses.