title: Ocular mast cells and mediators.
abstract: Mast cells have long been recognized for their role in immediate hypersensitivity reactions, by virtue of the presence of high affinity receptors for IgE (FcepsilonRI) on their surface. More recently, mast cells have been postulated to be involved in a variety of chronic inflammatory disorders as numerous mediators released by activated mast cells are characterized. This article summarizes current information on mast cell mediators, heterogeneity, and differentiation, and it reviews studies of mast cells in the normal eye and various ocular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, VA 23229, USA. airani@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Anne-Marie A
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Irani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014605:Uveitis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018836:Inflammation Mediators