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Isolation and Characterization of Human Intestinal Mast Cells

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Mast Cells

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1220))

Abstract

Mast cells are granulated immune cells typically located at barrier sites of the body, such as the skin and the mucosa of the respiratory, urogenital, and gastrointestinal tract. They are well known for their capacity to participate in the orchestration of inflammatory and immune responses by releasing a broad array of mediators as a consequence of IgE-dependent and IgE-independent activation. Mast cells derive from myeloid progenitors, but in contrast to other myeloid cells, they leave the bone marrow in an immature state; therefore, mast cells are not visible in the blood under normal conditions. For full maturation, the tissue environment is necessary. Thus, mature mast cells can be only isolated from tissue such as skin or mucosal sites, which makes mast cell isolation complicated. This chapter describes methods to isolate, purify, and culture mast cells from the human intestinal mucosa. Human mucosal mast cells can be used to characterize their mediators and to study the mechanisms of human mast cell activation, signal transduction, and exocytosis in response to specific stimuli.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all former and current colleagues and in particular C. A. Dahinden, K. Wordelmann, S. Schwengberg, C. T. Mierke, G. Weier, T. Gebhardt, L. E. Sander, S. P. Frank, A. Mrasori, K. Feuser, and Y. Soltow who were involved in establishing the methods described here.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstraße 12, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Axel Lorentz Ph.D. & Stephan C. Bischoff M.D.

  2. Department of Medicine III, University Hospital (UKA), University of Aachen (RWTH), Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany

    Gernot Sellge M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Axel Lorentz Ph.D.
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  2. Gernot Sellge M.D., Ph.D.
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  3. Stephan C. Bischoff M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Axel Lorentz Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Genetics, The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Michael R. Hughes

  2. Department of Medical Genetics, The Biomedical Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Kelly M. McNagny

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Lorentz, A., Sellge, G., Bischoff, S.C. (2015). Isolation and Characterization of Human Intestinal Mast Cells. In: Hughes, M., McNagny, K. (eds) Mast Cells. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1220. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1568-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1568-2_11

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1567-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1568-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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