Coeliac disease is a chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa controlled by gluten‐specific T cells restricted by disease‐associated HLA‐DQ molecules. We have previously reported that mucosal CD11c⁺ dendritic cells (DCs) are responsible for activation of gluten‐reactive T cells within the coeliac lesion. In mice, intestinal CD11c⁺ DCs comprise several functionally distinct subsets. Here, we report that HLA‐DQ⁺ antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) in normal human duodenal mucosa can be divided into four subsets with striking similarities to those described in mice: CD163⁺CD11c⁻ macrophages (74%), and CD11c⁺ cells expressing either CD163 (7%), CD103 (11%) or CD1c (13%). CD103⁺ and CD1c⁺ DCs belonged to partly overlapping populations, whereas CD163⁺CD11c⁺ APCs appeared to be a distinct population. In the coeliac lesion, we found increased density of CD163⁺CD11c⁺ APCs, whereas the density of CD103⁺ and CD1c⁺ DCs was decreased, suggesting that distinct subpopulations of APCs in coeliac disease may exert different functions in the pathogenesis.