Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells that possess the ability to stimulate naïve T cells, initiating the adaptive immune response. Ex vivo DC cultures are useful to evaluate how helminths regulate DC maturation and stimulatory activity. Here, we describe how to isolate CD11c+ from F. hepatica-infected mice to evaluate their activation state, cytokine production and regulatory function in an allogeneic T cell assay.
Keywords: CD11c; Cytokines; Dendritic cell; Fasciola hepatica; Immune regulation; Maturation; Mixed lymphocyte reaction; T cell proliferation.