RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the adaptive changes of ultrastructure of the dentritic cells (DC) before and after maturation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The murine bone marrow mononuclear cells were induced into immatured dendritic cells with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). The cell morphology was observed under an inverted phase contrast microscope, and the surface markers were detected by flow cytometry. Then the DC was induced to be matured with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 48 hours, the ultrastructures of DC was observed before and after maturation under transmission electron microscope and then a comparative analysis was doned.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The surface processes of matured dentritic cells stimulated by LPS decreased significantly, whereas the organelles and the diameter of nucleolus increased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The distribution of surface processes may be associated with the antigen-presenting capacity of DC, and it is also a potential ruler of cell function and status.</p>