Table 1

Features of major human dendritic cell subsets


Dendritic cell subset



Myeloid (also known as conventional)




Feature
Epithelial Langerhans cells
Interstitial tissue dendritic cells
Plasmacytoid

Progenitors
CD34+, giving rise to common myeloid progenitors, common lymphoid progenitors, monocytes
CD34+, common myeloid progenitors, common lymphoid progenitors
Progenitor homeostatic and expansion factors
FLT3-L, granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, stem cell factor, IL-4
FLT3-L, IL-3

Transforming growth factor beta, TNF


Specific markers
Langerin, E-cadherin, CD1a
DC-SIGN, CD1c, BDCA3, S100
CD123, BDCA-2, BDCA-4
Toll-like receptors
All except TLR7, TLR8
TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, TLR8
TLR7, TLR9
Major cytokines produced

IL-12
IFN-α

Produce proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in response to a variety of signals
Tissue location
Epithelium and epithelial draining lymph nodes
Nonepithelial tissues, lymph node, spleen, thymus
Lymph node, spleen, inflamed tissues
Found in rheumatoid arthritis synovium
Yes (CD1a+ dendritic cells)
Yes
Yes

Lutzky et al. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2007 9:219   doi:10.1186/ar2200