Describe in Molecular Detail the Biological Function of Langerhans Essay

Describe in Molecular Detail the Biological Function of Langerhans Cells - Essay Example The antigen presenting cells move in and out of lymph nodes to initiate immune responses. The interaction of Langerhans cells with immuno competent cells initiates the formation of a number of antibodies in various parts of the human body. Langerhans cells(LC) are epidermal dendritic cells that take shape in the bone marrow and moves toward the T cell region of lymph nodes to function as expert antigen presenting cells. Langerhans cells can be identified using a wide range of cell surface markers like ectoenzyme adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), CD1a antigens and Ia+ (PÃ ©rez-Torres, A. & Ustarroz-Cano, M 2001). Paul Langerhans first observed the dendritic Langerhans cells in the skin in 1868. Birbeck et al explained the presence of rod like granules in the cytoplasm of Langerhans cells (Indrasingh. 2006). Ultrastructural detection of Langerhans in the epidermis is performed by the recognition of an exclusive and typical cytoplasmic organelle called the Birbeck granule (BG) (PÃ ©rez-Torres, A. & Ustarroz-Cano, M 2001).Langerhans cells belongs to the system of antigen presenting cells and combines with the antigen that moves into the epidermis and the LC presents the combined cells to T-lymphocytes that later create s immune response (Indrasingh. 2006). Dendritic cells (DCs) in the immune system have the natural ability to recognize and seize foreign antigens and effectively provide antigens to T cells. Even though DCs have the capability to present antigens to T cells, cell surface markers, tissue distribution and the ability to assign different methods of adaptive immune responses are responsible for the function of DCs. Paul Langerhans found the presence of DC’s in the skin precisely in the epidermis and the identification of Langerhans cells indicated that it is the only cell in the epidermis to mark MHC class II molecules in normal