Langerhans cells in the skin form a network of cells with extended dendritic processes. In this picture, epidermal sheets obtained from mouse ear skin were stained with anti-Langerin (green) and anti-MHCII (red) antibodies for the identification of Langerhans cells. DAPI (blue) was used to stain the nuclei.
2019 Lab Thanksgiving in Woodside
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2011 was awarded to Dr. Ralph Steinman “for his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity”. This prize is shared with Drs. Beutler and Hoffman.


Attending the 2019 Stanford Immunology Annual Scientific Conference at Asilomar
Celebrating Boss/Mentor's Day
Dendritic cell subsets are characterized by the expression of surface receptors, which can be used to harness specific populations. This graph shows the expression of 4 different surface receptors (DEC205, Langerin, DCIR2 and Treml4) by dendritic cell subsets measured by flow cytometry.
Langerin+ dendritic cells (red) in mouse spleen are localized surrounding CD169+ marginal metallophilic macrophages (green) and interspersed with SIGNR1+ marginal zone macrophages (blue). Scale bar 100 μm.

Dual delivery of antigen and adjuvant to dendritic cells might be an efficient approach for vaccination. Targeted delivery of double-stranded DNA to dendritic cells using anti-receptor monoclonal antibodies induces dendritic cell activation and immunization. This work was performed in collaboration with Drs. Muir and Vila-Perello.
Attending the 2019 Stanford Microbiology & Immunology Annual Scientific Conference in Santa Cruz
The Idoyaga Lab celebrates Hayley & Matt's wedding in July 2019
Summer party in Woodside
Mouse skin draining lymph node sections stained with CD169 (green) & DEC205 (red) to identify subcapsular sinus macrophages and dendritic cells, respectively. B220 staining of B cells (blue) is used to delineate B and T cell area. Scale bar 200 μm.
Mouse spleen sections stained for CD8α- dendritic cells with DCIR2 (33D1 monoclonal antibody, red) and CD11c (green). B220 staining for B cells (blue) delineates B and T cell area. CD8α- dendritic cells are localized in the splenic marginal zone and marginal zone-bridging channel. Scale bar 100 μm.
2018 Idoyaga Lab Retreat
2018 Idoyaga Lab Retreat
We use 18-parameter multicolor flow cytometry to characterize dendritic cell subsets in lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs. This graph shows gating strategy for the identification of dendritic cell subsets in mouse skin-draining lymph nodes.
Langerhans cells are characterized by their capacity to resist high doses of ionizing irradiation. This phenomenon is dependent on the cell intrinsic expression of p21. Importantly, in response to irradiation Langerhans cells induce an increase in the number of regulatory T cells, which in turn suppress anti-tumor immune responses. This work was performed in collaboration with Dr. Jeremy Price and Dr. Miriam Merad.
Becky & Marcela at the 2018 DC Meeting held in Aachen, Germany
We perform unbiased immunophenotypic assessment of human blood dendritic cell subsets using cytometry by time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CyTOF). This SPADE plot shows the expression of DEC205 by human blood cell populations characterized by a 35-parameter CyTOF panel.
We exploit an antigen delivery approach to address the functional specialization of dendritic cell subsets in vivo. This consists of the use of molecularly engineered monoclonal antibodies specific to surface receptors expressed by dendritic cell subsets, to deliver unique antigenic sequences for uptake and presentation to T cells.
1st Annual Guacamole Competition
Watch a video of our trip to Marcela's wedding in Mexico
Mouse spleen sections stained with CD169 (green) for marginal metallophilic macrophages, SIGNR1 (blue) for marginal zone macrophages, and Treml4 (red) for red pulp macrophages. Scale bar 200 μm.
Take a tour of the construction of our new lab space