Blood-borne donor mast cell precursors migrate to mast cell-rich brain regions in the adult mouse.
Mast cells are hematopoietic immune cells located throughout the body, including within the brain. Reconstitution of mast cell deficient Kit(W-sh/W-sh) mice has proven valuable in determining peripheral mast cell function. Here we study the brain mast cell population using a novel method of blood transfusion for reconstitution. We show that blood transfusion results in mast cells of donor origin in the WT mouse, including in the brain where they are restricted to regions bearing host mast cells. In contrast, in Kit(W-sh/W-sh) mice, transfusion results in mast cells in the pinna of the ear, but not the brain.
Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States.
Katherine M
KM
Nautiyal
Charles
C
Liu
Xin
X
Dong
Rae
R
Silver
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004431:Ear, External; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*