Dendritic Cell Adhesion and Migration

Dendritic cell surface receptors not only facilitate antigen uptake, but also mediate physical contact between dendritic cells and T cells. Dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-3 grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN), a calcium-dependent type II C-type lectin, is a dendritic cell-specific ligand for ICAM-3 expressed on naïve T cells. DC-SIGN can promote a transient clustering between a dendritic cell and T cells, thus allowing the dendritic cell to screen numerous T cells for an appropriately matched T cell receptor (TCR). Adhesion receptors such as lymphocyte function-associated antigen ICAM-1, LFA-3 and CD44 may also be expressed on mature dendritic cells and promote adhesion to T cells.