How do dendritic cells orchestrate immune responses? This review provides a comprehensive overview of antigen presentation and T cell stimulation by dendritic cells (DCs), specialized immune cells critical for initiating antigen-specific immune responses and immunological tolerance. The review highlights that DCs capture antigens in peripheral tissues, process them into peptides, and load these peptides onto major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules. Subsequently, DCs migrate to secondary lymphoid organs and gain the capacity to present antigens to T lymphocytes. Importantly, antigen presentation in DCs is precisely regulated, with differences in antigen uptake, intracellular transport, degradation, and MHC molecule trafficking compared to other antigen-presenting cells. These unique specializations underlie DCs’ pivotal role in initiating immune responses and inducing tolerance. The review emphasizes the importance of understanding these processes for developing effective immunotherapies and vaccines.
As a review article in the Annual Review of Immunology, this work is perfectly suited to the journal's scope. It provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on antigen presentation by dendritic cells, a central topic in immunology. This aligns directly with the journal's aim to offer authoritative and insightful overviews of key advances in the field for researchers and clinicians.