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.
