Cutaneous dendritic cells (DC) include epidermal Langerhans cells (LC), interstitial/dermal dendritic cells (DDC), as well as plasmacytoid DC (pDC) that occur under pathological conditions. These immune cells have a spectrum of different functions with implications that extend far beyond the skin. They have the potential to internalize particulate agents and macromolecules, and display migratory properties that endow them with the unique capacity to journey between skin and draining lymph nodes where they encounter antigen-specific T lymphocytes. Herein, we will review the features of human and mouse cutaneous DC, emphasizing characteristics representative of their life-cycle stages that occur within the skin.