Determination of rat mast cells by flow-cytometry.
Counting of rat mast cells and assessment of degranulation were performed by flow-cytometry using a cytograph. It was shown that the number of mast cells in a total cell population may be obtained rapidly and reproducibly following toluidine blue staining. A dose-response for degranulation by compound 48/80 was performed and it was shown that azure A staining (in 40% sucrose) discriminates degranulated from non-degranulated mast cells, while trypan blue staining discriminates between cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic degranulation. Values obtained by flow-cytometry and microscopic evaluation were in good agreement; assessment by flow-cytometry provides a convenient new approach to counting mast cells and assessing their degree of degranulation.
D000818:Animals; D001399:Azure Stains / Q000494:pharmacology; D002452:Cell Count; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells; D051381:Rats; D014048:Tolonium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D014343:Trypan Blue / Q000494:pharmacology; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine
D001399:Azure Stains; D014048:Tolonium Chloride; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine; D014343:Trypan Blue