A Game of Kit and Mouse: The Kit Is Still in the Bag

Abstract

Most immunology textbooks still promote the age-old idea that the sole function of mast cells is to mediate immunoglobulin E (IgE)-dependent responses in allergy and parasitic worm infections. But mast cells are extremely versatile cells and can be stimulated by numerous IgE-independent agonists, including pathogen-associated molecular pattern molecules (PAMPs), cytokines, hormones, and neuropeptides as well as through cell-cell interactions. Depending on the activation mode, mast cells exhibit varied and “tunable” responses, releasing unique arrays of preformed and newly synthesized pro- and/or anti-inflammatory mediators (Rao and Brown, 2008).