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Updated: Jul 5, 2026
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Isolation of Peritoneum-derived Mast Cells and Their Functional Characterization with Ca2+-imaging and Degranulation Assays
Published on: July 4, 2018
Isolation of tissue mast cells.
1National Institute of Allergy And Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Current Protocols in Immunology
|April 25, 2008
Summary
This study details a method for isolating mast cells from gastrointestinal tissue using mechanical fragmentation, enzyme digestion, and centrifugation. Acid toluidine blue staining is also described for mast cell identification.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Histology
Background:
- Mast cells are crucial immune cells not found in circulation.
- Isolation of mast cells requires tissue-specific methods.
- Gastrointestinal and lung tissues are primary sources for mast cell research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a protocol for obtaining mast cell-enriched suspensions from gastrointestinal tissue.
- To provide a method for identifying mast cells using acid toluidine blue staining.
Main Methods:
- Mechanical fragmentation of gastrointestinal tissue.
- Enzyme digestion to release cells.
- Centrifugation to enrich mast cell suspensions.
- Acid toluidine blue staining for mast cell visualization.
Main Results:
- Successful isolation of mast cell suspensions from gastrointestinal tissue.
- Effective staining of mast cells using acid toluidine blue.
Conclusions:
- The described protocol enables the isolation and identification of mast cells from accessible tissues.
- This method supports further research into mast cell function and biology.
