Differential MHC class II synthesis and ubiquitination confers distinct antigen-presenting properties on conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells

The antigen-presenting abilities of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs) are not well characterized. Villadangos and colleagues show that unlike conventional DCs, plasmacytoid DCs continue to synthesize and degrade MHC class II molecules, and thereby present endogenous viral antigen, after activation.