Given the vital importance of immune system research, the gathering of clear, consistent, and informative protocols involving the study of dendritic cells is paramount. Bringing the popular first edition fully up to date, Dendritic Cell Protocols, Second Edition presents protocols from experts in the field that cover the basics and more complex forays into the exploration of DC development and function, both in mice and humans. The first section of the volume involving humans explores topics such as the isolation of blood DC subtypes, primary skin Langerhans cells, and the generation of gene-manipulated human DCs with the inclusion of more clinically relevant methods as well, while the second section involving rodent models delves into DC and precursor generation in vitro, isolation ex vivo, disease models, as well as DC functions and properties. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biologya" series style, chapters include introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Dendritic Cell Protocols, Second Edition aims to become a bench-side handbook for both beginners and experts in the field of DC research and a long-term reference for some of the most popular methods put forward by those who lead the field.

Given the vital importance of immune system research, the gathering of clear, consistent, and informative protocols involving the study of dendritic cells is paramount. Bringing the popular first edition fully up to date, Dendritic Cell Protocols, Second Edition presents protocols from experts in the field that cover the basics and more complex forays into the exploration of DC development and function, both in mice and humans. The first section of the volume involving humans explores topics such as the isolation of blood DC subtypes, primary skin Langerhans cells, and the generation of gene-manipulated human DCs with the inclusion of more clinically relevant methods as well, while the second section involving rodent models delves into DC and precursor generation in vitro, isolation ex vivo, disease models, as well as DC functions and properties. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series style, chapters include introductions to their respective subjects, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and cutting-edge, Dendritic Cell Protocols, Second Edition aims to become a bench-side handbook for both beginners and experts in the field of DC research and a long-term reference for some of the most popular methods put forward by those who lead the field.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the Generals of the immune system and instruct the immune system on how to clear infectious micro-organims. DCs ingest these microbes, then travel to the headquarters of the immune system where they instruct soldier T cells. This leads to the killing of infected cells and the release of antibodies to neutralize remaining and future microbes. In recent years, it has become clear that there are different family members, or subtypes, of DCs - akin to having different Generals for the army, navy and air force. Each subtype has a specialized function in the detection of different types of microbes and their subsequent clearance. What has puzzled scientists is how these subtypes derive from white blood cell progenitors and stem cells in a process known as haematopoiesis. This thesis delves into the isolation and characterization of the progenitors of the DC subtypes under normal conditions and after inflammation, and uniquely addresses this complexity at the single cell level. This groundbreaking work created a paradigm shift in how we think of DCs and their development within the haematopoietic tree.