Dendritic cells are called professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) because they degrade microbial proteins.Endogenous self or pathogen-derived antigens are processed by dendritic cells into peptides in a proteasome-dependent pathway. Cross presentation of antigens is essential for the responses of cytotoxic T cells to tumors and viruses. Peptides subsequently bind to MHC class I molecules and the complexes are transported to the cell-surface for presentation to CD8+αβTcells. Roy C.R.2003, Nature, 425, 351-352.;

Kasturi S.P., et al., 2008, Nature Immunol, 9, 461-  comment 2 papers on types of dendritic cells that mediate cross-presentation: Di Pucchio T. et al., 2008, Nat Immunol 9, 51- describe cross-presentation of viral antigens by pDCs; Burgdorf S. et al., 2008, Nat Immunol, 9-461 comment the mechanistic separation of cross-presentation and endogenous antigen presentation.

DENDRITICS offers antibodies for antigen presentation studies.