Studies on the in vitro development of rat peritoneal mast cells

Mast-cell-depleted rat peritoneal exudate cells have been shown to differentiate into pure mast cell cultures when placed in a special medium containing 15% horse serum and 20% L-cell supernatants. In the present communication, the changes that occur within the cells during culture are examined by several parameters. Prior to culture, the cells resemble mononuclear phagocytes morphologically. During culture, their total cell volume and cytoplasmic mass increase, and they develop metachromatic, alcian blue and later on safranin-positive cytoplasmic granules. Proliferation of the cells, as shown by 3H-thymidine incorporation, is optimal between days 3 to 11, and is decreased by changing the composition of the medium or by adding high concentrations of histamine (greater than 10-6M) and heparin (greater than 50 millimicron/ml). By cytochemical staining and by analysis of subfractionated cellular components, eosinophil chemotactic factor (ECF), histamine, beta-glucuronidase, alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase and myeloperoxidase are demonstrated, mostly within the granules. The findings suggest a close morphological and functional relationship between peritoneal mast cell precursors and mononuclear phagocytes.