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Updated: Apr 22, 2026

A Simple and Efficient Method for Testing Immunomodulatory Agents for Generation of Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells from Human CD14+ Monocytes
Published on: April 11, 2025
Dendritic cells in humans--from fetus to adult
Naomi McGovern1, Jerry K Y Chan, Florent Ginhoux2
1Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, 8A Biomedical Grove, IMMUNOS Building #3-4, BIOPOLIS, Singapore 138648, Singapore.
Abstract:
The human immune system evolves continuously during development from the embryo into the adult, reflecting the ever-changing environment and demands of our body. This ability of our immune system to sense external cues and adapt as we develop is just as important in the early tolerogenic environment of the fetus, as it is in the constantly pathogen-challenged adult. Dendritic cells (DCs), the professional antigen-sensing and antigen-presenting components of the immune system, play a crucial role in this process where they act as sentinels, both initiating and regulating immune responses. Here, we provide an overview of the human immune system in the developing fetus and the adult, with a focus on DC ontogeny and function during these discrete but intimately linked life stages.
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