The areas of the human body exposed to the environment (the skin, the respiratory tract and the intestinal mucous membrane) are protected by special patrolmen – the dendritic cells. It is their responsibility to inform other cells in the immune system of dangerous environmental factors. They activate uniquely trained cell groups, which then find the intruders and attempt to neutralise or destroy them. The functions of the dendritic cells can also be artificially modified to assist in protection against infectious diseases, in the design of new vaccines, and in the treatment of cancer and immune system disorders.

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