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Antigen Presenting Cells

Antigen Presenting Cells

The immune system is a complex network of cells and molecules that protects the body from foreign invaders. T cells, a type of white blood cell, play a crucial role in this process. They recognize and attack foreign substances, such as pathogens, that enter the body.
T cells require the help of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which process foreign antigens into smaller fragments that can be recognized by T cells. These APCs are highly specialized cells that efficiently internalize antigens...

Antigen Processing Pathways

Antigen Processing Pathways

MHC molecules are key players in the immune response, enabling T cells to recognize and respond to specific antigens. They are present on the surface of all nucleated cells in the body and are instrumental in presenting antigens to T cells and activating them. T cells recognize the MHC-antigen complex and initiate an immune response. MHC class I and MHC class II are two main types of MHC molecules, each associated with a distinct antigen processing pathway.
MHC Class I: Presenting Endogenous...

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
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Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment

Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment

Pneumonia poses the potential for numerous complications that warrant consideration. These complications include the following:

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection that targets the lungs, specifically the alveoli. These tiny air sacs, essential for oxygen exchange, become engorged with pus and fluid, severely hindering breathing, decreasing oxygen absorption, and causing significant pain and discomfort during respiration.
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Other Pulmonary Disorders

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Author Spotlight: Optimized Protocol for Detecting Antigen-Specific T Cells in Mouse Lungs Using Tetramers

Author Spotlight: Optimized Protocol for Detecting Antigen-Specific T Cells in Mouse Lungs Using Tetramers

Published on: July 19, 2024

Antigen Presentation in the Lung.

Takumi Kawasaki¹, Moe Ikegawa¹, Taro Kawai¹

¹Laboratory of Molecular Immunobiology, Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Ikoma, Japan.

Frontiers in Immunology

|May 26, 2022

Summary

The lungs use specialized immune cells like dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (MACs) to present antigens. This review explores how these and other lung cells activate T cells, crucial for immune defense.

Keywords:

antigen cross presentation antigen presentation dendritic cells lung macrophages

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Last Updated: Sep 22, 2025

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Area of Science:

Immunology
Pulmonology
Cell Biology

Background:

The lungs are continuously exposed to inhaled environmental and infectious agents.
The lung immune system relies on various immune cells, including antigen-presenting cells (APCs), to eliminate threats.
Professional APCs like dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (MACs) engulf pathogens and present peptide fragments via MHC class I and MHC class II molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the molecular mechanisms of antigen presentation in the lungs.
To summarize the role of APCs in initiating adaptive immune responses within the lung.
To highlight emerging evidence on antigen presentation by non-traditional APCs in the lung.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on lung immunology and antigen presentation.
Analysis of molecular pathways involved in antigen processing and presentation by lung cells.
Synthesis of data on T cell activation by various antigen-presenting cells in the pulmonary environment.

Main Results:

Dendritic cells and macrophages are key APCs in the lungs, presenting antigens to naive CD8+ and CD4+ T cells.
Antigen presentation in the lungs involves both MHC-I and MHC-II pathways.
Evidence suggests endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and monocytes also contribute to antigen presentation and T cell activation in the lungs.

Conclusions:

Antigen presentation by APCs is a fundamental mechanism for initiating immune responses in the lungs.
Understanding these mechanisms is critical for developing strategies against lung infections and inflammatory diseases.
Further research into non-traditional APCs can provide deeper insights into lung immunity.