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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Generation of Human Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells from Whole Blood
Published on: December 24, 2016
Macrophages as APC and the dendritic cell myth
1The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. David.Hume@roslin.ed.ac.uk
Abstract:
Dendritic cells have been considered an immune cell type that is specialized for the presentation of Ag to naive T cells. Considerable effort has been applied to separate their lineage, pathways of differentiation, and effectiveness in Ag presentation from those of macrophages. This review summarizes evidence that dendritic cells are a part of the mononuclear phagocyte system and are derived from a common precursor, responsive to the same growth factors (including CSF-1), express the same surface markers (including CD11c), and have no unique adaptation for Ag presentation that is not shared by other macrophages.
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