Which of the following are phagocytic antigen-presenting cells?

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following are phagocytic antigen-presenting cells?

Phagocytic antigen-presenting cells are those that both engulf pathogens and display their fragments to helper T cells using MHC class II, linking innate and adaptive immunity. Macrophages do this well: they ingest microbes, process their proteins into peptide fragments, and present those fragments on MHC II to CD4+ T cells, activating the adaptive response. The various macrophage populations—free macrophages roaming tissues, fixed macrophages stationed in organs, and specialized forms like hepatic stellate macrophages and brain microglia—share this phagocytic and antigen-presenting function. Other choices include cells that can present antigens but aren’t primarily phagocytic. Dendritic cells are powerful APCs, and B cells can present antigen, but B cells aren’t primarily phagocytic. T cells and neutrophils don’t present antigens via MHC II in the way macrophages do. Erythrocytes and platelets don’t function as antigen presenters.

Phagocytic antigen-presenting cells are those that both engulf pathogens and display their fragments to helper T cells using MHC class II, linking innate and adaptive immunity. Macrophages do this well: they ingest microbes, process their proteins into peptide fragments, and present those fragments on MHC II to CD4+ T cells, activating the adaptive response. The various macrophage populations—free macrophages roaming tissues, fixed macrophages stationed in organs, and specialized forms like hepatic stellate macrophages and brain microglia—share this phagocytic and antigen-presenting function.

Other choices include cells that can present antigens but aren’t primarily phagocytic. Dendritic cells are powerful APCs, and B cells can present antigen, but B cells aren’t primarily phagocytic. T cells and neutrophils don’t present antigens via MHC II in the way macrophages do. Erythrocytes and platelets don’t function as antigen presenters.

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