Stereological quantification of mast cells in human synovium

Mast cells participate in both the acute allergic reaction as well as in chronic inflammatory diseases. Earlier studies have revealed divergent results regarding the quantification of mast cells in the human synovium. The aim of the present study was therefore to quantify these cells in the human synovium, using stereological techniques. Different methods of staining and quantification have previously been used for mast cell quantification in human synovium. Stereological techniques provide precise and unbiased information on the number of cell profiles in two-dimensional tissue sections of, in this case, human synovium. In 10 patients suffering from osteoarthritis a median of 3.6 mast cells/mm2 synovial membrane was found. The total number of cells (synoviocytes, fibroblasts, lymphocytes, leukocytes) present was 395.9 cells/mm2 (median). The mast cells constituted 0.8% of all the cell profiles present in the synovium. A significantly positive correlation was demonstrated between the number of mast cells and the total number of cells. Thus, the present study reports stereological quantification of the mast cells and the total number of cells in synovium from patients with osteoarthritis. A possible link between the mast cell and osteoarthritis is discussed upon obtaining a precise estimate of cell profiles in human synovium.