Mast cells in nonmammalian vertebrates: an overview

Mast cells are best known as multifunctional entities that may confer a benefit on immune system. This review presents the known facts on mast-cell system and breakthroughs in mast-cell biology in fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. As compared to mammals, there are relatively few data available on mast cells in many nonmammalian vertebrates. Nevertheless, like in mammals, mast cells in nonmammalian vertebrates contain a wide range of bioactive compounds including histamine, heparin, neuropeptides, and neutral proteases. In bony fishes, these cells secrete antimicrobial peptides as well. Mast cells have a widespread distribution in the brain, endocrine glands, intestine, liver, kidney, skin, tongue, and lungs, the highest concentration occurring in different tissues in the different taxa. Currently, researchers are grappling with the nature of scientific support to substantiate the functional importance of mast cells in nonmammalian vertebrates. Ultimately, the origin and evolution of vertebrate mast cell is of great interest to comparative immunologists seeking an underlying trend in the phylogenetic development of immunity.