Mast Cell

From Anvita Health Wiki

Contents 1 Function 2 Biochemistry 3 Pharmacology 4 Physiology 5 More General Terms 6 Additional Terms 7 References

Function

• mast cells contain metachromatically stained granules ( Giemsa or toluidine blue); these granules contain several pharmacologically active substances
• preformed mast cell mediators:

• vasoactive mediators

• histamine
• adenosine
• serotonin

• chemotactic factors

• neutrophil chemotactic factors
• eosinophil chemotactic factors

• enzymes

• neutral proteases & acid hydrolases

• kininogenase
• arylsulfatase A

• exoglycosidases

• beta-hexosaminidase
• beta-D- galactosidase
• beta-glucuronidase

• granule-associate mediators

• mast-cell tryptase
• chymotryptic proteinase
• heparin & other proteoglycans
• tumor necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-alpha)
• interleukin-4 (IL-4)

• rapidly synthesized mast cell mediators

• reactive oxygen species - superoxide
• arachidonate metabolites:

• leukotrienes ( slow-reacting substances of anaphylaxis)

• LTC4
• LTD4
• LTE4

• 5-lipoxygenase products
• thromboxane A2
• prostaglandin D2
• platelet-activating factor

• vasoactive mediators - bradykinin

• mast cell-derived cytokines:

• eosinophil growth & activating factors

• interleukin-5 (IL-5)
• GM-CSF
• interleukin-3 (IL-3)

• mast cell growth factors

• interleukin-3 (IL-3)
• interleukin-9 (IL-9)
• interleukin-10 (IL-10)

• proinflammatory factors

• interleukin-1 (IL-1)
• tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alph)
• interleukin-6 ( IL-6)
• interleukin-8 ( IL-8)

• factors contributing to IgE isotype switch

• interleukin-4 (IL-4)
• interleukin-13 ( IL-13)

Biochemistry

• c-kit & its ligand (mast cell growth factor) enhances the number & activation state of mast cells

Pharmacology

• drugs that cause mast cell degranulation include:

• alcohol, dextran, polymixin B, morphine, codeine, scopolamine, D- tubocurarine, NSAIDs, antihistamines ( H1 & H2 antagonists)

Physiology

• mast cells are connective tissue cells of mesenchymal origin
• widely distributed throughout the body, including bone marrow, thymus, spleen
• mast cells do not normally appear in peripheral blood

More General Terms

• mesenchymal cell
• connective tissue cell

Additional Terms

• histamine
• mast cell stabilizer
• mastocytosis

References

1. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998
2. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods, 21st edition, McPherson RA & Pincus MR (es), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA. 2007, page 496

mast cell