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Updated: Sep 29, 2026

Isolation of Peritoneum-derived Mast Cells and Their Functional Characterization with Ca2+-imaging and Degranulation Assays
11:31

Isolation of Peritoneum-derived Mast Cells and Their Functional Characterization with Ca2+-imaging and Degranulation Assays

Published on: July 4, 2018

Mast cells express chloride channels of the ClC family

M Kulka1, A Schwingshackl, A D Befus

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

Inflammation Research : Official Journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [Et Al.]
|October 9, 2002
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Mast cells (MC) express several ClC chloride channels, including ClC-2 and ClC-7. These findings suggest that ClC channels play a role in mast cell functions.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The role of specific chloride (Cl-) channels in mast cells (MC) remains largely unknown.
  • The ClC family represents the largest and most widespread group of Cl- channels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mRNA and protein expression of ClC family members in rat peritoneal mast cells (PMC) and a rat cultured mast cell line (RCMC).

Main Methods:

  • Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect mRNA for ClC-1 to -7.
  • Western blotting was employed to assess the protein expression of ClC-2, -3, and -7.

Main Results:

  • RT-PCR detected mRNA for ClC-2, -3, -4, -5, and -7 in RCMC, and ClC-7 in PMC.
  • Western blotting revealed protein expression of ClC-2 and ClC-7 in RCMC, but not ClC-3. No detectable protein expression of these channels was found in PMC.

Conclusions:

  • Mast cells express multiple ClC family chloride channels.
  • These identified ClC channels may be significant for mast cell functionality.

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