Evaluation of synovial mast cell functions in autoimmune arthritis.
Mast cells are innate immune effector cells that reside in the healthy synovial sublining and expand in number with inflammation. These cells can play an important role in initiation of arthritis, but much about their biology and importance remains obscure. This chapter reviews the use of animal models for the study of mast cells in arthritis, with a particular focus on the K/BxN serum transfer model. We discuss tissue preparation and histological analysis for the assessment of joint inflammation, injury, and the presence and phenotype of synovial mast cells, as well as the use of bone marrow-derived mast cell (BMMC) engraftment into W/Wv mice as a tool to isolate the role of mast cells in joint inflammation and injury.
Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Smith 516B, One Jimmy Fund Way, Boston, MA, 02115, USA, pnigrovic@partners.org.
Peter A
PA
Nigrovic
Kichul
K
Shin
D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005629:Frozen Sections; D005956:Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D053802:Tryptases / Q000378:metabolism
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011509:Proteoglycans; D053802:Tryptases; D005956:Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase