Immune functions of the human skin. Models of in vitro studies using Langerhans cells

Human skin constitutes the first immune defense barrier. Among the epidermal cells, the Langerhans cells, which belong to the dendritic cells, represent the pivotal cells in cutaneous immune reactions. The possibility of obtaining human Langerhans cells either from human skin or by in vitro generation from CD34+ hematopoietic precursors opens the way to studies reproducing the successive steps of the Langerhans cells' role in contact dermatitis.