What Are Dendritic Cells?

What are dendritic cells, and why are they useful?

Dendritic cells are in every person’s bloodstream and is a blood cell. They normally function as an immune cell but are present in very small numbers, somewhat like an elite force. Their usual function is to identify a foreign substance, including cancer cells, and process the bits of such foreign substances and then jumpstart the the immune response by bringing the foreign substance to the attention of the rest of the immune system (mostly T lymphocyte cells). The activated immune system is then able to circulate throughout the body and destroy the cancer cells. This video demonstrates the action of dendritic cells and macrophages and their role in defending against cancer and disease.

Basics of Cancer Immunity

Living cancer cells require all of the foundation requirements of survival in the human body (in vivo). It has been evaluated that cancer cells must overcome exponential odds in surviving in an environment that is constantly surveying against invaders. Cancer cells are invaders with a bad genetic signalling. The human body adapts and amplifies against cells that have gone bad. However, there is also a self-similar component in cancer cell growth. This simply means that cancer cells can avoid detection from the lethal destructive elements of the immune system because the cells have a same self expression and are not recognized as bad but as self.

Living cells require genetic and biologic process to prevent early demise and ongoing healthy function. This is an encouraging process for healthy cells that have not become deranged in any way. Cancer cells, however, must be recognized as harmful cells by the immune system and be destroyed by a process known as, apoptosis (initiating cell death). This process is either a direct attack against the cancer expressed cell (oncogenic cell) or an initiated oncogenic cell suicide. a process known as "oncogenic addiction" which I will elaborate further on in this work.