Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
10:22
Basophil Activation Test for Investigation of IgE-Mediated Mechanisms in Drug Hypersensitivity
Published on: September 16, 2011
Basophils: what they 'can do' versus what they 'actually do'
1Department of Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. minb@ccf.org
Nature Immunology
|November 15, 2008
Summary
Basophils, rare immune cells, are crucial for T helper type 2 immunity in allergies and parasite infections. This review clarifies their in vivo functions versus in vitro capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Basophils are the least abundant granulocytes with incompletely understood functions.
- They are implicated in T helper type 2 (Th2) immunity, particularly in parasite infections and allergic inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the functions of basophils.
- To differentiate between in vitro observed capabilities and in vivo actual functions.
- To discuss potential clinical relevance.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of in vitro experimental systems.
- Analysis of in vivo immune responses.
- Review of emerging evidence and animal models.
Main Results:
- Basophils play a critical role in the development of Th2 immunity.
- Animal models are valuable for studying basophil functions.
- A distinction is necessary between in vitro potential and in vivo activity.
Conclusions:
- Basophil functions require careful evaluation in both in vitro and in vivo contexts.
- Understanding actual in vivo roles is key to assessing clinical implications.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate basophil contributions to immune responses.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells
Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...
01:04¹³C NMR: ¹H–¹³C Decoupling
The probability of having two carbon-13 atoms next to each other is negligible because of the low natural abundance of carbon-13. Consequently, peak splitting due to carbon-carbon spin-spin coupling is not observed in spectra. However, protons up to three sigma bonds away split the carbon signal according to the n+1 rule, resulting in complicated spectra.
A broadband decoupling technique is used to simplify these complex, sometimes overlapping, signals. Broadband decoupling relies on a...
A broadband decoupling technique is used to simplify these complex, sometimes overlapping, signals. Broadband decoupling relies on a...
01:20¹³C NMR: Distortionless Enhancement by Polarization Transfer (DEPT)
When proton-coupled carbon-13 spectra are simplified by a broadband proton decoupling technique, structural information about the coupled protons is lost. Distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer (DEPT) is a technique that provides information on the number of hydrogens attached to each carbon in a molecule. While the DEPT experiment utilizes complex pulse sequences, the pulse delay and flip angle are specifically manipulated. The resulting signals have different phases depending on...
01:27SDS-PAGE
Gel electrophoresis is a method that separates biological macromolecules like nucleic acids or proteins by forcing them to pass through a gel matrix under an electric field.
A variation of gel electrophoresis, termed polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), is commonly used for separating proteins according to their molecular size by passing them through a polyacrylamide gel. Because of the varying charges associated with amino acid side chains, PAGE can be used to separate intact proteins...
A variation of gel electrophoresis, termed polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), is commonly used for separating proteins according to their molecular size by passing them through a polyacrylamide gel. Because of the varying charges associated with amino acid side chains, PAGE can be used to separate intact proteins...
01:24Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienophiles
In a Diels–Alder reaction, the diene is usually an electron-rich system and acts as a nucleophile, whereas the dienophile is electron-deficient and functions as an electrophile. Much like the diene, the nature of the dienophile significantly impacts the outcome of the reaction.
Characteristics of Dienophiles
Generally, the best dienophiles are alkenes containing electron-withdrawing substituents such as carbonyl, nitrile, and nitro groups. The feasibility of a Diels–Alder reaction depends on...
Characteristics of Dienophiles
Generally, the best dienophiles are alkenes containing electron-withdrawing substituents such as carbonyl, nitrile, and nitro groups. The feasibility of a Diels–Alder reaction depends on...
01:26Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity
Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...