Dendritic cells (DC) in nonlymphoid organs function at the crossroads of innate and adaptive
immunity, self-tolerance, and tissue homeostasis. This review provides an overview of the
study of DC in the kidney, tracing its history leading to the current knowledge of the origins,
migration, and function of renal DC. Together, these studies suggest that renal DC play a
critical role in the health and disease of the kidney, opening the way to direct targeting of
renal DC for therapeutic benefit.