Dendritic-cell function in Toll-like receptor- and MyD88-knockout mice

Based on recent findings in myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)- and Toll-like receptor (TLR)-knockout mice, Tsuneyasu Kaisho and Shizuo Akira discuss the roles of TLRs and MyD88 in dendritic cell (DC) maturation and cytokine production. Lipopolysaccharide binds TLR4 and can induce DC maturation in the absence of MyD88, whereas CpG DNA binds TLR9 and induces DC maturation in a MyD88-dependent manner.