Dendritic cells are critical initiators of immune responses. They not only 
activate pathogen-specific T and B lymphocytes, they also stimulate cells of the 
innate immune system. Furthermore, dentritic cells are involved in immunological 
tolerance induction through the elimination of autoreactive T lymphocytes. Over 
the last ten years, understanding of the development, biology and 
physiopathology of dentritic cells has progressed considerably which has lead to 
the use of dentritic cells in immunotherapy protocols to treat tumors, 
infections and auto-immune diseases.