Gene expression of distinct lung dendritic cell subsets

Pulmonary dendritic cells are heterogenous cells comprise four distinct subsets including two conventional dendritic cell subsets, CD103+ and CD11bhiCD14lo cells, and two monocyte-derived dendritic cell subsets. Their functions in terms of migration and T cell activation are distinct, but genes regulating their features are to be determined. We used microarrays to identify a select set of genes that are expressed in conventinal dendritic cells and in monocyte-derived dendriti cells. Four distinct lung DC subsets were purified by flow cytometry-based sorting after inhalation of lipopolusaccharide and ovalbumin. Each subset has three replicates.