Relationship Among the Biophysical Characteristics, Cytoskeletal Structure, and Functions of Dendritic Cells at Different Stages of Differentiation

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most powerful antigen-presenting cells and play key roles in the initiation and amplification of innate and adaptive immune responses. Both DCs and their precursors undergo complex migration to perform their functions in vivo. To explore their immune functions from a biophysical perspective, we investigated the biophysical properties of dendritic cells at different stages of differentiation in vitro. The results showed that the DCs at various differentiation stages displayed distinct biophysical characteristics. Among them, the role of cytoskeleton-binding proteins in different stages of DC differentiation was highlighted. This information may be important for a further understanding of the migration of DCs from peripheral tissues to secondary lymphoid organs and the activation of the immune response.