Abstract

Langerhans cells (LCs) are a specialized subset of dendritic cells (DCs) that populate the epidermal layer of the skin. Langerin is a lectin that serves as a valuable marker for LCs in mice and humans. In recent years, new mouse models have led to the identification of other langerin⁺ DC subsets that are not present in the epidermis, including a subset of DCs that is found in most non-lymphoid tissues. In this Review we describe new developments in the understanding of the biology of LCs and other langerin⁺ DCs and discuss the challenges that remain in identifying the role of different DC subsets in tissue immunity.

Author affiliations

1. Department of Gene and Cell Medicine and Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10029, USA.
2. Haematological Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.

Correspondence to: Miriam Merad¹ Email: Miriam.Merad@mssm.edu

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.