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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
Generation of Human Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells from Whole Blood
Published on: December 24, 2016
Purification of dendritic cells from peripheral blood
S Patterson1, A Rae, H Donaghy
1Department of Immunology, Imperial College School of Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
Insights
Two distinct dendritic cell (DC) populations exist in blood, identified by CD11c expression. Understanding their unique roles, particularly CD11c(-) DCs in antiviral immunity, is crucial for future research.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Dendritic cells (DCs) differentiate into distinct phenotypes with varying functions.
- Two major DC populations in blood are distinguished by CD11c integrin expression: CD11c(+) and CD11c(-).
- CD11c(+) DCs are precursors to Langerhans cells and other tissue-resident DCs, while CD11c(-) DCs migrate directly to lymphoid tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate the distinct developmental pathways and functions of CD11c(+) and CD11c(-) blood dendritic cells.
- To highlight the potential role of CD11c(-) DCs in antiviral immunity due to interferon-alpha production.
- To emphasize the need for purification techniques for these two DC populations.
Main Methods:
- Identification of dendritic cell populations based on CD11c expression in peripheral blood.
- Review of existing evidence regarding the developmental pathways and proposed functions of CD11c(+) and CD11c(-) DCs.
- Analysis of literature concerning immune response stimulation (Th1/Th2) and cytokine production (interferon-alpha).
Main Results:
- CD11c(+) and CD11c(-) DCs represent distinct populations with separate developmental routes, not a precursor-maturation relationship.
- CD11c(+) DCs give rise to epidermal Langerhans cells and dermal/interstitial DCs.
- CD11c(-) DCs are potent producers of interferon-alpha, suggesting a role in antiviral immunity, though their precise function remains unclear.
Conclusions:
- There is a clear need for methods to purify CD11c(+) and CD11c(-) dendritic cells to further elucidate their specific functions.
- Further research is required to fully understand the distinct contributions of these DC subsets to adaptive and innate immunity.
- Comparing the functions of CD11c(+) and CD11c(-) DCs will be a key focus for future dendritic cell research.
Abstract:
It is well established that dendritic cells (DC) exhibit different phenotypes and functions as they progress down the developmental pathway toward interdigitating DC that stimulate T cells in the secondary lymphoid tissue (1). In the blood, two populations of DC can be identified based on the expression of the β-intergrin, CD1 1c. For most individuals, the proportion of DC that are CD1 1c(+) ranges from 30% to 70%. The CD11c(-) population was originally proposed to be the precursor of the CD1 1c(+)cells, but there is now good evidence that they constitute a distinct population of DC that have a separate developmental pathway (2 ,3). The CD11c(+)blood DC give rise to the Langerhans cells located in the epidermal layers of the skin and mucosal tissue, where their function is to capture and process antigens from invading pathogens for presentation. Dermal and interstitial DC are also derived from CD1 1c(+)blood DC. CD1 1c- DC, on the other hand, are thought to migrate directly to secondary lymphoid tissue and not to take up residence in the tissues. CD11c(+)and CD11c(-) DC were claimed to stimulate Th1 and Th2 types of immune responses, respectively, and hence were termed DC1 and DC2 (2). However, other reports suggest that both cell populations can stimulate Th1 and Th2 responses (4). The role of the CD11c(-) DC is currently unclear but they are potent producers of interferon-α (4,5) and could therefore be important in antiviral immunity. Elucidating the function of these cells and comparing them with the CD1 1c(+)population will be a major aim of DC research groups in the future. There is thus a need for techniques to purify these two cell populations.
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