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Antigen-Presenting Cells

Meaning

Antigen-Presenting Cells, or APCs, are specialized immune cells critical for initiating the adaptive immune response against foreign or abnormal substances. These cells capture antigens, process them into smaller peptide fragments, and display them on their surface using Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules. This presentation is the essential step required to activate T lymphocytes, effectively bridging the innate and adaptive branches of the immune system. Dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells are the principal types of APCs.