[The detection of mast cells in the bronchoalveolar contents in lung diseases]

Detection of mast cells in the liquid of bronchoalveolar lavage is made with the aid of staining with alcyane blue after fixation of the cytologic preparations in vapors of 40% formalin. In healthy persons, the content of mast cells in bronchial lavage constitutes 0.4-0.1%, in the majority of patients with bronchial asthma, 0.06-3.3%, and in some patients with sarcoidosis, 0.04-1.07%.