Switching between defense and attack

LMU researchers have shown that a particular type of immune cell acts more flexibly than previously thought – with potential for new therapeutic approaches.

As part of the innate immune system, dendritic cells are in the body’s first line of defense against infections. They detect pathogens and coordinate the immune response. An international team led by Professor Barbara Schraml from LMU’s Biomedical Center has now carried out an extensive study of a new type of dendritic cell and uncovered its important role in the body’s immune response.

As the researchers demonstrate, dendritic cells that are marked by expression of the transcription…