Cells of the Immune System

The response to pathogens is orchestrated by the complex interactions and activities of the large number of diverse cell types involved in the immune response. The innate immune response is the first line of defense and occurs soon after pathogen exposure. It is carried out by phagocytic cells such as neutrophils and macrophages, cytotoxic natural killer (NK) cells, and granulocytes. The subsequent adaptive immune response includes antigen-specific defense mechanisms and may take days to develop. Cell types with critical roles in adaptive immunity are antigen-presenting cells including macrophages and dendritic cells. Antigen-dependent stimulation of various cell types including T cell subsets, B cells, and macrophages all play critical roles in host defense.

B Cells

Dendritic Cells

Granulocytes

Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILCs)

Megakaryocytes

Monocytes/Macrophages

Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells (MDSC)

Natural Killer (NK) Cells

Platelets

Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

T Cells

Thymocytes

B Cells

B lymphocytes (B cells) are an essential component of the humoral immune response. Produced in the bone marrow, B cells migrate to the spleen and other secondary lymphoid tissues where they mature and differentiate into immunocompetent B cells. Part of the adaptive immune system, B cells are responsible for generating antibodies to specific antigens, which they bind via B cell receptors (BCR).

R&D Systems offers a wide selection of tools to study dendritic cells including dendritic cell markers, as well as proteins, and ELISAs designed to study the molecules expressed by dendritic cells, and those molecules involved in their activities.

Dendritic Cells

 Dendritic cells are best known for their role as professional antigen-presenting cells. Upon exposure and uptake of pathogens, maturing cells travel