Description
Dendritic cells have in recent years emerged as key cellular players in both initiating and modulating immune responses. Patients with cancer are known to have defects in the function of their immune systems, and tumour immunologists are now looking towards dendritic cells as an attractive target for the manipulation of patient immune mechanisms and the eradication of cancer cells. This article aims to discuss the current views on the role of dendritic cells in immune reactions and tumour immunology, and to focus on the interesting use of bacterial products, past and present, to tip the immunological balance in favour of patient survival.
