Retrospection to discovery of bursal function and recognition of avian dendritic cells; past and present.

In 1954 the discovery of bursal function was one of the major contributions to the formation of the T and B cell concept of immunology. In 1978 the avian dendritic cells; bursal secretory dendritic cell (BSDC) and follicular dendritic cell (FDC) in the cecal tonsil were recognized. In 1982 the interdigitating dendritic cell was described in the periarteriolar lymphatic sheath (PALS) of the spleen. This paper is a retrospection of the stories of the discovery of bursal function and recognition of avian dendritic cells and includes the markers which can be used for monitoring and characterizing avian dendritic cells.