Dendritic cells (DCs) are most currently known as a class of professional antigen presenting cells in body, and also are initiators in the primary immune response by strongly activating naive T cells. DCs determine the direction of immune response, in parasitic infection,DCs are heterogeneous cell population. With the changing of physical and chemical environment around DC, the DCs may differentiate into different subsets in their growth and development process. The biological character istics of different DC subsets are quite different. A wide variety of parasites can cause serious harm to host and make complex and changeable mechanism in parasites. The major categories of parasites are protozoa(,Plasjnodium, Leishmania, Tozoplasma gondii) and helminth (Schistosoma, Clonorchis sinensis , Echinococcosis). DCs play an important role in the immune response against the parasitic infection in the host. After the parasite infection, on the one hand, parasites mainly affect DC maturation in host and induce Thl type responses, so this process is conducive to the host anti infection; on the other hand, parasites mainly suppress the normal function of the DC and reduce the body resistance, so it is benefit to parasite growth in body and cause great harm to the host. In recent years, the study about different types of parasitic infection to dendritic cell subsets also fur ther continue. This article provides a review about the source,and the main function and role of the DC subsets in parasite infec tion immunity.%树突状细胞(dendritic cell,DC)是目前已知的体内功能最强的一类专职抗原提呈细胞,同时也是初次免疫应答的始动者,能强有力地激活初始T细胞,并决定机体免疫应答的方向,其在寄生虫感染中的作用越来越受到人们的重视.大量研究表明,DC是一个异质性极大的细胞群体,随着周围理化环境的变化,DC在生长发育过程中分化为不同的亚群,不同DC亚群的生物学特点存在较大差异.寄生虫种类繁多,危害严重,感染机体后作用机制复杂多变.人兽共患寄生虫主要有原虫类(疟原虫、利什曼原虫、弓形虫)和蠕虫类(血吸虫、华支睾吸虫、棘球蚴病).DC在宿主针对寄生虫感染的免疫应答过程中起重要作用,寄生虫感染后,一方面主要影响机体DC成熟,诱导Th1型应答为主,有利于宿主抗感染;另一方面,主要抑制DC的正常功能,降低机体抵抗力,使寄生虫在宿主体内继续繁衍生长,对宿主造成极大危害.近年来对于不同种类寄生虫感染作用于DC亚群的研究也不断深入,本文就DC的来源、亚群、主要功能及其在寄生虫感染免疫中的作用综述如下.
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