Burnet oration: dendritic cells: multiple subtypes, multiple origins, multiple functions.

The dendritic cells (DC) of the mouse are surprisingly heterogeneous by surface phenotype and may be segregated based on expression of CD4 and CD8. These DC subtypes appear to differ in developmental origin and display some differences in biological function, including regulation of the cytokine production of the T cells that they activate. This presentation reviews the attempts of one laboratory to understand this complex DC system.