Immaturity of the immune system has been suggested as an underlying factor for the high
rate of morbidity and mortality from infections in newborns. Functional impairment of
neonatal T cells is frequently quoted as the main underlying mechanism for such immaturity.
However, recent studies suggest that neonatal antigen-presenting cells (APCs) also exhibit
functional alterations, which could lead to secondary defects of adaptive T-cell responses. In
this review, we summarize what is known on the functionality of APC at birth and during …