Work

The dendritic cell identity crisis: Why do conflicting classifications demand a consensus framework?

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The advent of single-cell technologies has provided unprecedented resolution of dendritic cell (DC) heterogeneity, yet it has paradoxically fueled conceptual fragmentation and conflicting nomenclatures. The field is currently divided by divergent models of conventional type 2 DC (cDC2) ontogeny and the debated identity of the DC3 subset, whether it constitutes a distinct hematopoietic lineage or a transient activation state. In this Perspective, I critically analyze these conflicting classifications, focusing on the cDC2A/DC2A developmental dichotomy and the integration of newly described populations such as transitional DC-derived DC2s (tDC2s). I emphasize that these disputes extend beyond semantics, profoundly impacting our mechanistic understanding of disease and therapeutic targeting, as evidenced by the distinct roles of pro-DC3s in viral myocarditis and tDC2s in immune tolerance. I argue that the immunology community urgently requires a consensus framework based on rigorous ontogenetic and functional criteria to harmonize DC classification and translate high-resolution mapping into actionable clinical insights.

Source: Immunology Letters

DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2026.107206

Author: Guilherme Antonio de Souza-Silva

Institution: Universidade de São Paulo

Language: English

Topic: Immunotherapy and Immune Responses

Subfield: Immunology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,290