Exploring a regulatory role for mast cells: 'MCregs'?
Regulatory cells can mould the fate of the immune response by direct suppression of specific subsets of effector cells, or by redirecting effectors against invading pathogens and infected or neoplastic cells. These functions have been classically, although not exclusively, ascribed to different subsets of T cells. Recently, mast cells have been shown to regulate physiological and pathological immune responses, and thus to act at the interface between innate and adaptive immunity assuming different functions and behaviors at discrete stages of the immune response. Here, we focus on these poorly defined, and sometimes apparently conflicting, functions of mast cells.
Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, University of Udine, P. le M. Kolbe 4, 33100 Udine, Italy.
Barbara
B
Frossi
Giorgia
G
Gri
Claudio
C
Tripodo
Carlo
C
Pucillo
D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology