| Mastocyte | |
|---|---|
 Two mast cells in bone marrow | |
| Details | |
| System | Immune system |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | mastocytus |
| MeSH | D008407 |
| TH | H2.00.03.0.01010 |
| FMA | 66784 |
| Anatomical terms of microanatomy | |
A mast cell (also known as a mastocyte or a labrocyte[1]) is a resident cell of connective tissue that contains many granules rich in histamine and heparin. Specifically, it is a type of granulocyte derived from the myeloid stem cell that is a part of the immune and neuroimmune systems. Mast cells were discovered by Paul Ehrlich in 1877.[2] Although best known for their role in allergy and anaphylaxis, mast cells play an important protective role as well, being intimately involved in wound healing, angiogenesis, immune tolerance, defense against pathogens, and vascular permeability in brain tumors.[3][4]
The mast cell is very similar in both appearance and function to the basophil, another type of white blood cell. Although mast cells were once thought to be tissue-resident basophils, it has been shown that the two cells develop from different hematopoietic lineages and thus cannot be the same cells.[5]
- ^ "labrocytes". Memidex. Archived from the original on 6 November 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2011.
- ^ Ehrlich, Paul (1878). "Beiträge zur Theorie und Praxis der Histologischen Färbung". Leipzig University.
- ^ da Silva EZ, Jamur MC, Oliver C (2014). "Mast cell function: a new vision of an old cell". J. Histochem. Cytochem. 62 (10): 698–738. doi:10.1369/0022155414545334. PMC 4230976. PMID 25062998.
Mast cells can recognize pathogens through different mechanisms including direct binding of pathogens or their components to PAMP receptors on the mast cell surface, binding of antibody or complement-coated bacteria to complement or immunoglobulin receptors, or recognition of endogenous peptides produced by infected or injured cells (Hofmann and Abraham 2009). The pattern of expression of these receptors varies considerably among different mast cell subtypes. TLRs (1–7 and 9), NLRs, RLRs, and receptors for complement are accountable for most mast cell innate responses
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Mast cell neuroimmmune systemwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Franco CB, Chen CC, Drukker M, Weissman IL, Galli SJ (2010). "Distinguishing mast cell and granulocyte differentiation at the single-cell level". Cell Stem Cell. 6 (4): 361–8. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2010.02.013. PMC 2852254. PMID 20362540.