INRODUCTION: Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are two phenotypes of the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). A dendritic cell (DC), the main antigen presenting cell in intestinal mucosa, is an important factor in pathogenesis of IBD. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Our study included 219 subjects (100 UC; 44 CD; 75 controls). Biopsy samples obtained by colonoscopy were analysed histologically (inflammation activity) and immunohistochemically by using primary antibodies for CD83 (intraepithelial CD83+DS number / 100 enterocytes was counted). A calprotectin level and endoscopic index of disease activity (MES and SES-CD) were assessed. RESULTS: The number and the presence of intraepithelial CD83+DS was the highest in subjects with CD, and the lowest in subjects with active chronic inflammation. An association between the presence of intraepithelial CD83+DS and the type of the disease, the inflammation activity and the therapy applied was confirmed by logistic regression. Among the UC subjects, the number of intraepithelial CD83+DS was the lowest in subjects with active chronic inflammation, while its presence depended on MES, and it was also higher in subjects on azathioprine and anti-TNF than in those without therapy. Among the CD subjects, there is an association between the number of CD83+DS and SES-CD, calprotectin levels and histopathology results. In all CD subjects who were on anti-TNF, the number of CD83+DS/100 enterocytes was >1. CONCLUSION: The presence and the number of colonic intraepithelial CD83+DS depends on IBD phenotype, activity of chronic inflammation, endoscopic indexes of disease activity and applied therapy.