DENDRITIC CELL

a type of immune system cell with many branches. Dendritic cells are found in the skin and mucosal membranes. They are typically the first to arrive at sites of injury or infection, where they bind to invaders and transport them to the lymph nodes where the cell-mediated immune response is initiated. Dendritic cells carry the CD4 surface marker, and may be among the first cells to be infected by HIV.