Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, USA.
Cell Immunol. 2012;273(2):95-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2012.01.002. Epub 2012 Jan 28.
While it was known by the 1960s that lymphocytes mediated adaptive immunity, it was unknown how antigens stimulated lymphocytes. Between 1967 and 1973, we reported that a rare cell type in murine spleen cells took up antigen and were obligatory for T cell dependent and independent antibody responses. We referred to them as A cells or the third cell type. In 1973, Ralph Steinman and Zanvil Cohn described a rare cell type in murine spleen cells which was phagocytic but had dendrite like protrusions; they named them dendritic cells (DCs). In 1978, Steinman reported that DC were required for mixed lymphocyte reactions. From that time until recent death, Ralph Steinman pursued relentlessly in his laboratory and through collaborations around the world the role and function of DC in immunity. In passing, using a monoclonal antibody supplied by Steinman, we showed that A cells were the same as DC.
虽然到 20 世纪 60 年代就已经知道淋巴细胞介导适应性免疫，但人们并不清楚抗原是如何刺激淋巴细胞的。在 1967 年至 1973 年期间，我们报告称，在鼠脾细胞中存在一种罕见的细胞类型，它能够摄取抗原，并且是 T 细胞依赖和非依赖抗体反应所必需的。我们称它们为 A 细胞或第三种细胞类型。1973 年，拉尔夫·斯坦曼（Ralph Steinman）和赞维尔·科恩（Zanvil Cohn）描述了在鼠脾细胞中存在一种吞噬作用但具有树突状突起的罕见细胞类型；他们将其命名为树突状细胞（DC）。1978 年，斯坦曼报告称，DC 是混合淋巴细胞反应所必需的。从那时起，直到最近去世，拉尔夫·斯坦曼（Ralph Steinman）在他的实验室里以及通过与世界各地的合作，一直在不懈地研究 DC 在免疫中的作用和功能。顺便说一句，我们使用斯坦曼提供的单克隆抗体表明，A 细胞与 DC 相同。
