Artificial immune system: methods of use

A method for generating dendritic cells, comprising:

• (a) culturing endothelial cells on an upper surface of a porous membrane, wherein said membrane is housed in an upper chamber of a cell culture well that is suspended over, and is separable from, a lower chamber of the well;
• (b) applying peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to the endothelial cells on the porous membrane of (a);
• (c) removing the upper chamber housing the porous membrane and endothelial cells from the well about 48 hours after application of the PBMCs;
• and
• (d) isolating dendritic cells from the lower chamber of the well.