Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Lymphocyte Isolation from Human Skin for Phenotypic Analysis and Ex Vivo Cell Culture
10:31

Lymphocyte Isolation from Human Skin for Phenotypic Analysis and Ex Vivo Cell Culture

Published on: April 8, 2016

Langerhans cells - dendritic cells of the epidermis

Nikolaus Romani1, Sandra Holzmann, Christoph H Tripp

  • 1Department of Dermatology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. nikolaus.romani@uibk.ac.at

APMIS : Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica, Et Immunologica Scandinavica
|September 17, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Langerhans cells are specialized skin immune cells with dual roles in immunity and tolerance. This review highlights unique aspects of their biology and potential special functions.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Dermatology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Langerhans cells (LC) are key immune cells residing in the epidermis.
  • They function as professional antigen-presenting cells.
  • LC play critical roles in both initiating immune responses and maintaining self-tolerance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on Langerhans cell biology.
  • To emphasize unique characteristics and functions of LC.
  • To explore potential novel roles of LC in health and disease.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of peer-reviewed scientific articles.
  • Synthesis of existing data on LC immunology and cell biology.
  • Identification of key research areas and future directions.

Main Results:

  • Langerhans cells possess unique surface markers and migratory properties.
  • Their specialized functions extend beyond typical dendritic cell roles.
  • LC are crucial for skin homeostasis and immune surveillance.

Conclusions:

  • Langerhans cells are distinct immune cells with specialized functions in the epidermis.
  • Further research into LC biology may reveal novel therapeutic targets.
  • Understanding LC specialization is vital for advancing skin immunology and disease treatment.

More Related Videos

Preparation of Single-cell Suspensions for Cytofluorimetric Analysis from Different Mouse Skin Regions05:58

Preparation of Single-cell Suspensions for Cytofluorimetric Analysis from Different Mouse Skin Regions

Published on: April 20, 2016

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin10:42

Generation and Culturing of Primary Human Keratinocytes from Adult Skin

Published on: December 22, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells01:12

Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular cells,...
Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells01:19

Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells

Epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) are mainly located at the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells repair minor injuries of the skin and replace dead skin cells. However, EpiSCs’ cannot heal severe wounds such as major burns or those from diabetes or hereditary disorders. In such cases, culturing the epidermal stem cells from the patient is possible and has yielded successful treatment options, such as laboratory-grown skin grafts. These grafts are synthesized using a patient’s own EpiSCs...
Cells of the Epidermis01:24

Cells of the Epidermis

The epidermis is made of four or five layers of epithelial cells, depending on its location in the body. From deep to superficial, these layers are the stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, stratum lucidum, and stratum corneum.
The cells in all these layers except the stratum basale are called keratinocytes, a type of cell that manufactures and stores the protein keratin. The keratinocytes in the stratum corneum are dead and regularly slough away, being replaced by cells from...
Papillary Dermis01:11

Papillary Dermis

Dermis
The dermis might be considered the "core" of the integumentary system, as distinct from the epidermis and hypodermis. It contains blood and lymph vessels, nerves, and other structures, such as hair follicles and sweat glands. The dermis is made of two layers of connective tissue that comprise an interconnected mesh of elastin and collagenous fibers, produced by fibroblasts.
Papillary Layer
The papillary layer is made of loose, areolar connective tissue, which means the collagen and...
Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response01:23

Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response

The T and B lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system develop from common lymphoid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. These progenitors give rise to precursors that eventually develop into both T and B lymphocytes. As these precursors mature, they gain the ability to detect and respond to foreign antigens in the body, a process known as immunocompetence. Additionally, these precursors acquire self-tolerance, a process that ensures they do not react to self-antigens. This intricate system...
Antigen Presenting Cells01:22

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...