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Mast cells (MC) are phylogenetically old cells which are distributed throughout the human organism. MC are found in almost all of the major organs and tissues of the body, particularly in association with connective tissue structures such as blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and nerves, and in proximity to surfaces that interface the external environment, such as those of the respiratory and gastrointestinal system and the skin. This selective accumulation at tissue sites where foreign material attempts to invade the host suggests that MC are among the first cells to initiate defensive mechanisms. MC have long been recognized as key cells of type I hypersensitivity reactions. Several lines of evidence, however, indicate that they not only express critical effector functions in classic IgE-associated allergic disorders, but also play important roles in host defense against parasites, bacteria and perhaps even viruses. Indeed, it is now clear that MC can contribute to host defense in thecontext of either acquired or innate immune responses through the release of a myriad of pro-inflammatory and immunoregulatory molecules and the expression of a wide spectrum of surface receptors for cytokines and chemokines. Moreover, there is growing evidence that MC exert distinct non-immunological functions, playing a relevant role in tissue homeostasis, remodeling and fibrosis as well as in the processes of tissue angiogenesis.

Basophils and mast cells are similar but unique secretory cells which play a central role in inflammatory and immediate allergic reactions. In this book, the author reviews the ultrastructural studies of basophils and mast cells performed since the publication of an earlier monograph in 1991. These studies include the use of ultrastructural rules that allow identification of basophils and mast cells in new circumstances. The secretory granules and lipid bodies present in these cells are established as different, important organelles. A number of standard and newly developed ultrastructural imaging methods are described which define the subcellular locations of chymase, Charcot-Leyden crystal protein, histamine, and heparin as well as materials important in arachidonate and RNA metabolism, and in cytokine biology in basophils and mast cells. The findings presented elucidate new aspects of the secretory mechanisms of basophils and mast cells, their recovery, and the transepithelial route of passage of macromolecules stimulated by permeability mediators released from these cells. Including more than 180 excellent micrographs, this book will be of special interest to basic scientists in immunology, cell biology, secretion and angiogenesis research, and histochemistry. As mast cells and basophils play a crucial role in various diseases, it will be essential reading for allergists, immunologists, dermatologists, hematologists, gastroenterologists, rheumatologists, neurologists, pathologists, pulmonologists, and cardiologists.