CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS - A MODEL FOR ANALYSIS OF THE IMMUNOREGULATION BY ACCESSORY CELLS

In the mammalian host, Leishmania are obligate intracellular parasites and invade macrophages and Langerhans cells. The accessory functions of both types of host cells are important for regulation of the specif ic cellular immune response and involve the following activities: infi ltration into the site of infection, initiation of a T cell response, maintenance of immunity and the effector mechanisms that control intra cellular parasite replication.