Editing Dendritic cell (section)

{{Short description|Accessory cell of the mammalian immune system}}
{{about|the immune cell|component of the [[neuron]]|dendrite}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox anatomy
| Name        = Dendritic cell
| Latin       = cellula dendritiformis
| Image       = Dendritic cells.jpg
| Caption     = Dendritic cells in skin
| Width       = 
| Image2      = Dendritic cell revealed.jpg
| Caption2    = Artistic rendering of the surface of a human dendritic cell illustrating sheet-like processes that fold back onto the membrane surface. Some researchers believe that these sheets, when exposed to [[HIV]], entrap viruses in the vicinity and focus them to contact zones with [[T cell]]s targeted for infection. These studies were carried out using [[Ion-abrasion SEM|ion abrasion scanning electron microscopy]].
| Precursor   = 
| System      = [[Immune system]]

| Artery      = 
| Vein        = 
| Nerve       = 
| Lymph       = 
}}
A '''dendritic cell''' ('''DC''')  is an [[antigen-presenting cell]] (also known as an ''accessory cell'') of the [[mammal]]ian [[immune system]]. A DC's main function is to process [[antigen]] material and [[Antigen presentation|present]] it on the cell surface to the [[T cell]]s of the immune system. They act as messengers between the [[Innate immune system|innate]] and [[adaptive immune system]]s.<ref name="Monga">{{cite journal | vauthors = Monga I, Kaur K, Dhanda S| title = Revisiting hematopoiesis: applications of the bulk and single-cell transcriptomics dissecting transcriptional heterogeneity in hematopoietic stem cells | journal = Briefings in Functional Genomics | volume = 21 | issue = 3 | pages = 159–176 | date = March 2022 | pmid = 35265979 | doi = 10.1093/bfgp/elac002}}</ref>

Dendritic cells are present in tissues that are in contact with the body's external environment, such as the [[skin]], and the inner lining of the [[nose]], [[lungs]], [[stomach]] and [[intestine]]s. They can also be found in an immature and mature state in the [[blood]].  Once activated, they migrate to the [[lymph node]]s, where they interact with [[T cell]]s and [[B cell]]s to initiate and shape the adaptive immune response.  At certain development stages they grow branched projections, the ''[[Dendrite (non-neuronal)|dendrites]],'' that give the cell its name (δένδρον or déndron being Greek for 'tree'). While similar in appearance to the dendrites of [[neuron]]s, these are structures distinct from them. Immature dendritic cells are also called '''veiled cells''', as they possess large cytoplasmic 'veils' rather than dendrites.{{Citation needed | date = October 2021 | reason = This seems counterintuitive.  Shouldn't the veils be outside the cells as well?}}