Dr. Horacio Bach and his research team have published a new paper where they report the infection of human dendritic cells by Mycobacterium avium spp. paratuberculosis (MAP).

Dendritic cells are found in the immune system and act as messengers between the innate and adaptive immune systems. They capture antigens from foreign invaders and present them to the T cells, which initiate the immune response. They also work with B cells to maintain immune memory.

As dendritic cells are migratory, these findings may represent a way to explain the dissemination of MAP in the body and the pathogenesis of other chronic diseases associated with MAP.