Dendritic cells (DCs) have the unique ability to pick up dead cells carrying antigens in tissue and migrate to the lymph nodes where they can cross-present cell-associated antigens by MHC class I to CD8(+) T cells. There is strong in vivo evidence that the mouse XCR1(+) DCs subset acts as a key player in this process. The intracellular processes underlying cross-presentation remain controversial and several pathways have been proposed. Indeed, a wide number of studies have addressed the cellular process of cross-presentation in vitro using a variety of sources of antigen and antigen-presenting cells. Here, we review the in vivo and in vitro evidence supporting the current mechanistic models and disscuss their physiological relevance to the cross-presentation of cell-associated antigens by DCs subsets.
Journal article
2015-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
6
MHC class I, antigen processing, cross-presentation, cross-priming, dendritic cells, phagocytosis