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Chemokines: more than just road signs

Nature Reviews Immunology volume 6, pages 159–164 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Chemokines have long been known to orchestrate dendritic-cell migration in the body. However, recent evidence has shown that chemokines not only direct the trafficking of dendritic cells but also can regulate their maturation status. Here, we propose that this dual function of chemokines ensures that T cells and dendritic cells meet in T-cell regions of lymphoid organs and that antigen is presented in an immunologically optimal context for T-cell priming.

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Figure 1: Licensed DCs undergo terminal differentiation following activation with CCL19 and CCL21.
Figure 2: Subversion of the chemokine system by pathogens.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank N. Harris and G. Jennings for carefully reading the manuscript and R. Steinman for helpful discussion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cytos Biotechnology AG, Wagistrasse 25, Zurich-Schlieren, 8952, Switzerland

    Martin F. Bachmann

  2. the Department of Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, CH-8092, Switzerland

    Manfred Kopf & Benjamin J. Marsland

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Correspondence to Martin F. Bachmann.

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Bachmann, M., Kopf, M. & Marsland, B. Chemokines: more than just road signs. Nat Rev Immunol 6, 159–164 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nri1776

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