Furthermore, we can assume that the DC found in our study are primarily immature DC, since prior studies in human CRC have shown that 1) only an mean of 1% (epithelium) and 7% (stroma) of S100+ DC were positive for the maturation marker CD208 [28] and 2) only very few CD83+CD86+ DC were found in CRC [29]. This evidence concerns the gene CD86 and colorectal carcinoma.