Description
Dendritic cells (DCs) are pivotal for both recognition of antigens and control of an array of immune responses by recognizing microbes through distinct pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). The first microbial component to be studied in detail and known to cause septic shock is endotoxin (LPS). DCs recognize LPS via Toll-like receptor TLR-47. LPS causes many changes in the DCs, but the elicitation of cytokine production is perhaps the one with clear biologic relevance.