How DCs control cross-regulation between lymphocytes

Dendritic cells (DCs) acquire and present a variety of antigens from a given pathogen. They orchestrate the development of the immune response by integrating and relaying various signals through interactions with T, B, natural killer (NK) and NKT cells. Owing to compartmentalization of these different cell types, sequential interactions often take place, for example, when innate immunity influences adaptive immunity. Lymphocytes within the DC cluster can instruct each other indirectly, by fine tuning of DC function, or directly, by local cytokine secretion, with presumably more pronounced effects when the interactions are concomitant rather than sequential and when the T cells are experienced. Moreover, DCs also shape the immune repertoire according to the frequency and antigen specificity of the responding lymphocytes they recruit.