NEONATAL DENDRITIC CELLS

The capacity of lymphoid dendritic cells from human cord blood or adul t peripheral blood to support a mixed leukocyte reaction in cord blood and adult T cells has been compared. Cord blood dendritic cells have a limited ability to induce either adult or cord blood T cells to prol iferate in response to typical concentration of phytohemagglutinin or concanavalin A. Adult blood dendritic cells, on the other hand, induce equivalent mitogen responses in cord blood and adult blood T cells. T his relative deficiency can be overcome by increasing the concentratio n of mitogen or the numbers of dendritic cells in the culture. Neonata l primary immune responses may, in part, reflect the reduced function of dendritic cells. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved .