Dendritic cells are known as the most efficient antigen-presenting cell typ
e to activate naive T cells; however, they are able to do more than just ef
ficiently present antigen to T cells. They are key modulators of the immune
response that can influence Th cell differentiation by preferentially indu
cing Th type 1 or 2 cell responses, and the differential polarisation of CD
4(+) T cells appears to be mediated by discrete dendritic cell subsets.