Zeitschrift für klinische und zelluläre Immunologie
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Follicular Dendritic Cells: Histological, Immunological and Pathological Overview

Seham A Abd El-Aleem and Entesar Ali Saber

Follicular Dendritic Cells (FDCs) biology became a hot research area in the last decade. This review aims to give
a comprehensive overview about FDCs and their involvements in physiological and pathological conditions.
FDCs are unique accessory immune cells contribute to the regulation of humoral immunity. They are multi-tasker
cells essential for organization and maintenance of the lymphoid architecture, induction of germinal center reaction,
production of B memory cells, and protection from autoimmune disorders. They perform their activities through both
antigen driven and chemical signaling to B-cells. Beyond their physiological immunoregulatory functions, FDCs are
involved in the pathogenesis of several immune related disorders including HIV/AIDS, prion diseases, and chronic
inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Last decade, FDCs have been extensively considered in rare neoplasms
of lymphoid and hematopoietic tissues.
FDCs play a crucial role in the physiological regulation of immune response. Dis-regulation of the immune
response results when FDCs retain antigens for years. This provides a constant antigenic stimulation for B-cell
resulting in the development of immune disorders. Antigen trapped on FDCs, are resistant to therapeutic intervention
causing chronicity and recurrences.
Understanding FDC biology is essential for better control of humoral immunity and opens the gate for therapeutic
management of FDC-mediated immune disorders.