Animation of a dendritic cell, part of the immune system, encountering virus particles (red). Dendritic cells recognise and ingest foreign pathogens, and present identifying antigens taken from them to other immune system cells. The cell is characterised by its dendrites (long extensions), which it develops after identifying antigens and uses to present the antigens to T-cells. It presents the antigen material on its surface for T-cells and B-cells to recognise. These cells are then primed to attack anything in the body that also displays the antigens, which is an important part of the immune response.