HUMAN MONOCYTE-DERIVED AND CD34(-DERIVED DENDRITIC CELLS EXPRESS FUNCTIONAL RECEPTORS FOR PLATELET-ACTIVATING-FACTOR() CELL)

Dendritic cells (DC) are a heterogeneous population of specialized ant igen presenting cells that exhibit complex trafficking properties, DC differentiated in vitro fron both peripheral monocytes and CD34(+) cel ls expressed mRNA for platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor, Expre ssion of PAF receptor was increased by TNF alpha, a prototypic inflamm atory cytokine that induces differentiation and in vivo mobilization o f DC, PAF induced in vitro directional migration of DC obtained from b ath precursor cells through its specific receptor, Since DC are highly motile cells, protein chemoattractants as well as bioactive phospholi pids are likely to contribute to tissue localization of DC, in vivo. ( C) 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.