Figure 1.

LCs as the regulators of immune responses. A diagrammatic representation of the central role of LCs in human epidermis. LCs act as cellular transducers, transmitting signals encountered at the epidermal surface, including ultraviolet radiation (UVR), chemicals, cosmetics, pathogens, and medicines, as well as signals from the microenvironmental compartment in control of immune homeostasis. In disease state, LC function can be modified by the aberrant signaling from both the environment and the microenvironment, resulting in altered immune regulation in inflammatory disorders.