Topic Highlight
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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 7, 2014; 20(29): 9653-9664
Published online Aug 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i29.9653
Intestinal antigen-presenting cells in mucosal immune homeostasis: Crosstalk between dendritic cells, macrophages and B-cells
Elizabeth R Mann, Xuhang Li
Elizabeth R Mann, Xuhang Li, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
Author contributions: All the authors contributed equally to this manuscript.
Correspondence to: Xuhang Li, PhD, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave, Ross Research Bldg Rm 746, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States. xuhang@jhmi.edu
Telephone: +1-443-2874804 Fax: +1-410-9559677
Received: October 19, 2013
Revised: February 26, 2014
Accepted: April 27, 2014
Published online: August 7, 2014
Processing time: 292 Days and 2.3 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: The intestinal immune-system maintains a delicate balance between immunogenicity against invading pathogens and tolerance of the commensal microbiota. Inflammatory bowel disease involves a breakdown in tolerance towards the microbiota. Dendritic cells, macrophages and B-cells are known as professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) due to their specialization in presenting processed antigen to T-cells, and in turn shaping types of T-cell responses generated. Here, we present an updated knowledge toward the role of these APC in intestinal immunity, both in the steady state and in inflammation, and how they interact with one another and with the intestinal microenvironment to shape mucosal immune responses.