Assessment of surface markers and functionality of dendritic cells (DCs)

Dendritic cells are a complex group of mainly bone marrow derived cells that possess significant ability to take up, process, and present soluble antigens to responder cells in the lymphoid tissues. Characterization of DC surface markers has been a difficult task owing to the lack of appropriate reagents of sufficient specificity. Molecules closely associated with dendritic cells are being identified and investigated and flow cytometric approaches to evaluation of monoclonal antibodies against DC populations are being developed. This informative unit describes assays for determination of the existence of subsets within two DC populations, the kinetics of antigen expression, and the identification of specific markers for DC subsets. A Support Protocol presents an approach for generating dendritic cells and Langerhans cells (a skin-derived DC) from blood monocytes.