Do All Antigen-Presenting Cells Migrate to Lymph Nodes?

[Cheman]

Antigen-presenting cells...

When antigen-presenting cells (eg - macrophages, dendritics, etc) encounter antigens, do they all migrate to the lymph nodes? What causes them to do this?

I know from sources I've read that dendrites do it, but do macrophages as well - or does the macrophage system rely on ones which are alread present in the nodes? Or do they just move around randomly in tissues, hoping to bump into a T / B cell? I can't seem to ifnd a detailed and clear site anywhere on the net!

Thanks in advance.

 

[Monique]

When antigen-presenting cells (eg - macrophages, dendritics, etc) encounter antigens, do they all migrate to the lymph nodes? What causes them to do this?

Scientists are trying to find out what exactly the signal is, I think it is the same type of system that causes monocytes to move into tissues where they are needed: a signal cause them to become sticky for the site, so they have the time to enter.

I know from sources I've read that dendrites do it, but do macrophages as well - or does the macrophage system rely on ones which are alread present in the nodes? Or do they just move around randomly in tissues, hoping to bump into a T / B cell? I can't seem to ifnd a detailed and clear site anywhere on the net!

Thanks in advance.

Well, monocytes circulate in the blood until they move into tissue, where they differentiate into macrophages. A macrophage has antigen presenting abilities, but that is not its major function. Macrophages recognize particles opsonized by the immune system and they phagocytose those, I don't think they are recruited to the lymph nodes.