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Published on: May 18, 2018
Characterizing follicular dendritic cells: A progress report
Adriano Aguzzi1, Nike J Krautler
1Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Adriano.Aguzzi@usz.ch
Insights
Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) capture and retain antigens but their precise roles and origins remain unclear. This review highlights challenges in FDC research and new marker discovery efforts to advance understanding of these crucial immune cells.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Follicular dendritic cells (FDC) were first described in 1965, noted for their unique filiform processes involved in antigen capture and retention within secondary lymphoid organs.
- Despite extensive study, the precise functions and developmental origins (histogenesis) of FDC remain largely enigmatic within immunology.
- Hypothesized roles include organizing lymphoid follicles, supporting germinal center reactions by presenting antigens to B cells, and managing apoptotic body clearance, though definitive proof is lacking.
Discussion:
- Progress in understanding FDC biology has been hampered by a significant lack of specific markers for both FDC and their precursor cells.
- This scarcity of reliable markers impedes effective isolation, targeted manipulation, and in vivo tracking of FDC, creating a bottleneck in research.
- The review critically examines the current landscape of FDC research, emphasizing the difficulties in verifying proposed functions due to these marker limitations.
Key Insights:
- The identification of novel FDC-specific markers is crucial for overcoming current research limitations.
- New markers will enable more precise studies into FDC function, development, and their role in immune responses.
- This work underscores the need for innovative approaches to identify and validate markers for these elusive immune cells.
Outlook:
- Future research directions should focus on the discovery and validation of new FDC markers.
- Advancements in marker identification promise to unlock a deeper understanding of FDC's contribution to adaptive immunity.
- Continued investigation into FDC biology is essential for potential therapeutic strategies targeting lymphoid tissues.
Abstract:
In 1965, Mitchell and Abbot (Mitchell, J. and Abbot A, Nature 1965. 30: 500-502) discovered peculiar cells with filiform processes, which were capable of capturing and retaining antigens within secondary lymphoid organs. Yet half a century since the first description of follicular dendritic cells (FDC), their function and their histogenesis remain largely mysterious. FDC are thought to help with organization of the lymphoid follicles, to facilitate the germinal center reaction by presenting antigen to B cells, and to legislate the engulfment of apoptotic bodies, but it has proved difficult to stringently verify any of these functions. One reason for such slow progress is a dearth of markers specific to FDC and their precursors, which limits our ability to isolate, target, and follow FDC. Here we review the current state of FDC science with specific reference to a study in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology and its efforts in discovering new FDC markers.
