title: Mucosal mast cells in vivo and in vitro.
abstract: There has recently been a flurry on the mast cell front caused, not least, by the publication of articles about the IL3-induced growth of mast cells in vitro from haemopoietic tissue. This has left bystanders, and one suspects not a few participants, confused about some of the issues involved. The reason for the confusion lies in the participation of disparate specialities - such as experimental haematology and immunoparasitology - among which communication has not been traditional: however, the revelations raise specific questions which demand an interdisciplinary approach. Thus the evidence is strong that the mast cells derived from cultured haemopoietic tissues are of a special type hitherto called atypical, intestinal or mucosal mast cells (MMC) which are known to occur in profusion in mucous membranes of helminth-infected animals. In this article Ellen Jarrett and David Haig link information about these cells obtained from both in-vivo and in-vitro experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, University of Glasgow Veterinary School, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Jarrett
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Haig