Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Isolation of Precursor B-cell Subsets from Umbilical Cord Blood
Published on: April 16, 2013
Identification of both myeloid CD11c+ and lymphoid CD11c- dendritic cell subsets in cord blood
F E Borràs1, N C Matthews, M W Lowdell
1Department of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, NBS - North London Centre, London, UK.
Insights
Cord blood dendritic cells (DCs) include both lymphoid and myeloid subsets, contrary to previous findings. Myeloid DCs in cord blood are immature and show limited allostimulatory capacity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Hematology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells crucial for immune responses.
- Human peripheral blood contains both myeloid and lymphoid DC subsets.
- Previous studies suggested cord blood (CB) DCs are exclusively immature lymphoid types.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and characteristics of dendritic cell subsets in human cord blood.
- To compare the phenotype and function of cord blood DCs with those in adult peripheral blood.
Main Methods:
- Enrichment of dendritic cells from cord blood using a negative selection system.
- Immunophenotypic analysis of DC subsets using markers such as HLA-DR, CD123, CD11c, CD33, CD80, and CD83.
- Assessment of the allostimulatory capacity of DC subsets on naive cord blood T cells.
Main Results:
- Both lymphoid (CD11c-) and myeloid (CD11c+) dendritic cell subsets were identified in cord blood.
- Myeloid DCs constituted a significant portion (25.6% +/- 14.5%) of the total DCs in cord blood.
- Freshly isolated cord blood lymphoid DCs exhibited an immature phenotype and failed to potently stimulate naive T cells.
- Both DC subsets lacked CD80 and CD83 expression, indicating immaturity.
Conclusions:
- Cord blood contains both lymphoid and myeloid dendritic cell subsets, challenging previous assumptions.
- The observed high ratio of lymphoid to myeloid DCs in cord blood differs significantly from adult peripheral blood.
- The immature phenotype and limited allostimulatory capacity of cord blood DCs suggest a distinct role in neonatal immunity.
Abstract:
Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells described to date. In human peripheral blood, both myeloid and lymphoid subsets of DCs have been identified. In contrast, cord blood (CB) DCs have recently been described as being exclusively of the immature CD11c- lymphoid DC subset. Using an alternative method of enrichment, based on a negative selection system, both lymphoid (HLA-DR+ CD123+++ CD11c- CD33-) and myeloid (HLA-DR++ CD123+ CD11c+ CD33+) DCs were identified in CB. Although the majority of CB DCs showed a lymphoid phenotype, a significant number of CD11c+ myeloid DCs (25.6% +/- 14.5%, n = 13) were also present. Other markers, such as CD80 and CD83, were negative in both subsets. Analyses of the allostimulatory capacity of both subsets showed that freshly isolated CB lymphoid DCs failed to induce a potent allostimulation of naive CB T cells. These features are therefore consistent with previous work reporting an immature phenotype for lymphoid DCs in adult blood. The significance of the inverted CD11c+/CD11c- ratio observed in CB DCs (1:3) with respect to adult blood DCs (3:1) remains to be explained.
More Related Videos
09:05Generation of Large Numbers of Myeloid Progenitors and Dendritic Cell Precursors from Murine Bone Marrow Using a Novel Cell Sorting Strategy
Published on: August 10, 2018
10:25Pan-myeloid Differentiation of Human Cord Blood Derived CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells
Published on: August 9, 2019