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Investigating Mast Cell Secretory Granules; from Biosynthesis to Exocytosis
16:01

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Published on: January 26, 2015

The mast cell: an evolutionary perspective.

Enrico Crivellato1, Domenico Ribatti

  • 1Department of Medical and Morphological Research, Udine, Italy. enrico.crivellato@uniud.it <enrico.crivellato@uniud.it>

Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
|December 8, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Mast cells (MCs), crucial immune cells, evolved from primitive leukocytes over 500 million years ago. Their key features, like histamine and specific receptors, are traceable across vertebrate and even some invertebrate species.

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Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Mast cells (MCs) are immune cells found in all vertebrates, characterized by secretory granules containing mediators like histamine, proteases, cytokines, and growth factors.
  • Mammalian MCs possess the c-kit receptor for stem cell factor and the high-affinity FcepsilonRI receptor for immunoglobulin E (IgE).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To trace the evolutionary history and origins of mast cells.
  • To identify ancestral mast cell populations and their functional characteristics across different species.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of mast cell features across vertebrate and invertebrate taxa.
  • Review of existing literature on mast cell morphology, receptor expression, and mediator content.

Main Results:

  • Mast cell-like cells with histamine and heparin, providing defensive functions, are found in ascidians (urochordates) and arthropods.
  • Key mast cell markers like the c-kit receptor are present in fish, while the FcepsilonRI receptor appears to be a later evolutionary acquisition.
  • Ancestral mast cells likely originated from leukocyte precursors involved in innate immunity around 500 million years ago.

Conclusions:

  • Mast cells have a deep evolutionary history, originating from primitive immune cells involved in innate immunity.
  • The evolution of mast cells involved acquiring specific receptors and mediators, adapting them for roles in both innate and adaptive immunity.
  • Identifying mast cell precursors in invertebrates and early vertebrates provides insights into the development of complex immune systems.