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Basophils are the rarest granulocytes representing less than 1% of peripheral blood leukocytes. Even though basophils have been discovered more than 140 years ago, their roles in immune reactions had long been an enigma, partly because of their rarity and the similarity to tissue-resident mast cells. However, recent development of the analytical tools for basophil research, such as basophil-depletion antibody and basophil-related engineered mice, has uncovered the unique roles of basophils in various immune reactions. Basophils are now appreciated as a critical immune cell in various type 2-immune responses including the induction of chronic allergic inflammation and protective immunity against parasites. In this review, we summarize the recent understandings in the roles of basophils in allergic inflammation with especial focus on skin inflammation. We then focus on our recent findings in the differentiation and maturation pathways of basophils.

Basophils are the least common granulocytes, and account for less than 1% of peripheral blood leukocytes. Because of this minority status and their phenotypic similarity to mast cells, basophils have often been neglected in immunological studies or considered to have minor, redundant roles in immune responses in vivo. We have recently demonstrated that basophils play critical roles in IgG-mediated systemic anaphylaxis and IgE-mediated chronic allergic inflammation. Basophils also promote the Th2 differentiation and enhance the humoral memory response. Thus, basophils are a key player in both immune regulation and allergic responses. Basophils and their products seem to be promising therapeutic targets for allergic disorders.

To investigate the principle of Periotest measurement, we compared PT-value and the duration of contact between the rod of the Periotest-Instrument and the tooth measured directly in an oral cavity. Then we applied this apparatus to the subjects with normal periodontium and the patients of prosthetic treatment. The conclusions are as follows: 1. We confirmed that PT-value was calculated from the duration of contact between the rod of the Periotest and the tooth and it showed mainly the dumping effect of the periodontium. 2. There was a close relationship between PT-value and the clinical degree of tooth mobility, especially in the degree of 0 and 1 of tooth mobility. 3. Periotest was very useful not only for the periodontal treatment but also prosthetic application.