Human in vivo-differentiated monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

When entering tissues, monocytes can differentiate into cells that share morphological and functional features with either dendritic cells (DC) or macrophages. Monocyte-derived DC have been observed in humans at mucosal tissues and in inflammatory settings, where they are usually referred to as «inflammatory DC». In this chapter, we review recent studies on the characterization of these cells in humans. We also discuss nomenclature and examine the criteria defining in vivo-differentiated human mo-DC.