 |
| Do Dendritic cells exhibit both MHC class 1 and MHC class 2? |
Do Dendritic cells exhibit both MHC class 1 and MHC class 2?
I have studied that all nucleated cells express MHC class 1.
Insight:
Major Histocompatibility Complexes are surface molecules present on cells.
(I think of them as identity cards.)
MHC class I is present on all nucleated cells except RBCs.
(MHC class I is like a citizenship identity card.)
MHC class I identifies you as self.
(Each and every citizen who has a citizenship id is permitted to stay in the country. Similarly, each and every cell who has a proper MHC class I is permitted to stay in the body.)
MHC class II is present on antigen presenting cells.
(MHC class II is like having a cop identity card.)
It's important that even antigen presenting cells have MHC I.
Why is that?
Because they might get infected by a virus and the immune system needs to recognize them.
(What if a cop in disguise is a citizen of some other country intending to do evil? Like Evelyn, the Russian spy, from the movie Salt?)
The only way they can do so is by recognizing altered self molecules on MHC class I.
(Even though cops have a shiny flashy cop identity card, they are citizens of the country & have citizenship too! They have both the ids.. Class I as well as Class II.)
Now, you can easily answer the question yourself!
MHC class I is present on all nucleated cells except RBCs.
Do dendritic cells have a nucleus? Yes!
So that means they have MHC class I.
MHC class II is present on antigen presenting cells.
Do dendritic cells present antigens? Yes!
So that means they have MHC class II too.
Answer: Yes, dendritic cells exhibit both MHC class 1 and MHC class 2.
Link to HLA, MHC & CD T cell mnemonic.
