The Immune Functions of Epidermal Langerhans Cells

This book is about the phenotypic and functional features of epidermal Langerhans cells in experimental models and in clinical medicine. Langerhans cells, members of the dendritic cell system in the skin, are critically involved in the regulation of cell-mediated immune responses and gain increasing attention in a wide spectrum of clinical areas such as allergy, autoimmunity, transplantation and resistance to tumors and infections. The book covers the latest, most timely developments in this rapidly advancing field. Leading researchers describe functional analyses at the cell and molecular level, elucidating processes related to antigen presentation and the role of cytokines, and discuss perspectives for a future use of Langerhans cells and other dendritic cells in the immunotherapy of various diseases.

Inhalt

1. Introduction: Cutaneous Dendritic Cells: Distinctive Antigen-Presenting Cells for Experimental Models and Disease States.- 2. Human Langerhans Cells Derived From CD34+ Blood Precursors: Mode of Generation, Phenotypic and Functional Analysis, and Experimental and Clinical Applicability.- 3. Cytokine Receptors on Epidermal Langerhans Cells.- 4. The Role of Interleukin-1? and Interleukin-10 in Langerhans Cell-Mediated Immune Responses.- 5. Immunoelectron Microscopic Analysis of Major Histocompatibility Class II Expression on Human Epidermal Langerhans Cells.- 6. Antigen Presentation by Langerhans/Dendritic Cells.- 7. Langerhans Cell Migration: Initiation and Regulation.- 8. Ultraviolet Radiation-Mediated Defects in Langerhans Cell Function.- 9. Presentation of Tumor Antigens by Langerhans Cells and Other Dendritic Cells.- 10. Langerhans Cells in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.- 11. Langerhans Cells and HIV Infection.