A dendritic cell type of distinct morphology, localization, and surface marker expression (CD123-positive) from other dendritic cell types and associated with early stage immune responses, particularly the release of physiologically abundant amounts of type I interferons in response to infection. [ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2118448 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC538703 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20304825 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17332250 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17850486 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15549123 ]