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Review
. 2020 Jun;160(2):149-156.
doi: 10.1111/imm.13192. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

The developing immune network in human prenatal skin

Rachel Anne Botting  1 , Muzlifah Haniffa  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

The developing immune network in human prenatal skin

Rachel Anne Botting et al. Immunology. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Establishment of a well-functioning immune network in skin is crucial for its barrier function. This begins in utero alongside the structural differentiation and maturation of skin, and continues to expand and diversify across the human lifespan. The microenvironment of the developing human skin supports immune cell differentiation and has an overall anti-inflammatory profile. Immunologically inert and skewed immune populations found in developing human skin promote wound healing, and as such may play a crucial role in the structural changes occurring during skin development.

Keywords: haematopoiesis; immune homeostasis; regulation/suppression; skin.

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Conflict of interest statement

None to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Overview of the immune cells present in first‐ and second‐trimester human skin. ?, unknown; DC, dendritic cell; ILC, innate lymphoid cell; LC, Langerhans cell; MEMP, megakaryocyte‐erythroid‐mast cell progenitor; Mono‐DC, monocyte‐DC hybrid; Neut‐myeloid progenitor, neutrophil‐myeloid progenitor; NK, natural killer cell.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Summary of the role immune cells play during development of human skin. ↓, decreased; ↑, increased; DC, dendritic cell; IGF1, insulin growth factor 1; ILC, innate lymphoid cell; KC, keratinocyte; KIR, killer cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor; NK, natural killer cell.
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