CD4 and infection: The aims of this study were: a) to investigate the ability of DCs [using mouse bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) as a model system] to take up and internalize VCGs; b) to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of internalized VCGs on DC activation and maturation and their functional capacity to present chlamydial antigen to naïve and infection-sensitized CD4+ T cells and; c) to evaluate the ability of VCGs to enhance the protective immunity of a chlamydial antigen.