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Christos Christoforos, Luisa Lorenzi MD, Fabio Facchetti MD, PhD (Pathology Unit Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine University of Brescia Spedali Civili di Brescia 25123 Brescia Italy )
In humans, complexity is the law and pathologists know it well. At the basis of every individual, of every system, organ and tissue, lies a world of interactions among cells. We chose to focus on one of the main actors of immune response: the Follicular Dendritic Cell (FDC). FDCs are stromal cells of the lymphoid organs, residing in B-cell follicles. Their dendritiform projections sustain the tissue’s architecture and allow interactions with the other cells of the follicle. In our artwork, we schematically lay out the different functions of these great multitaskers: they attract and interact with B and T cells; they present antigens to B-cells, selectively holding to life the ones that recognize those antigens; they tag apoptotic cells for phagocytosis; they play a role in B-cell response to microbial residues. The correct modulation of FDC response is pivotal in tackling both infections and auto-immune diseases. FDCs are a great example of how, in the era of big data analysis, knowledge on cell identity is still fundamental in our war against diseases.