Final answer:
Immature dendritic cells capture antigens and migrate to lymph nodes, while mature dendritic cells have enhanced ability to activate T cells and initiate immune response.
Step-by-step explanation:
The functional differences between immature and mature dendritic cells lie in their ability to activate the immune response. Immature dendritic cells are specialized antigen-presenting cells that capture antigens and migrate to the lymph nodes to initiate an immune response.
They have a high capacity for antigen uptake but a low ability to activate T cells. Mature dendritic cells, on the other hand, have lower antigen uptake but have undergone a process called maturation that enhances their ability to activate T cells and initiate a strong immune response.