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The human lung mast cell.

Environmental Health Perspectives

|April 1, 1984

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Mast cells in the lungs act as sentinels, releasing mediators that cause immediate responses like bronchoconstriction. Excessive activation can lead to chronic lung diseases such as asthma.

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Area of Science:

Pulmonary immunology
Cellular biology of the respiratory system

Background:

Mast cells reside in human lung tissue, including the pulmonary epithelium and bronchial lumen.
Their location and receptors for IgE and complement fragments position them as key sentinel cells in host defense.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the role of mast cells in pulmonary responses.
To understand how mast cell activation contributes to both acute and chronic lung conditions.

Main Methods:

Review of mast cell location and receptor expression in human lung tissue.
Analysis of mediators released upon mast cell activation.
Examination of the downstream effects of these mediators on lung physiology.

Main Results:

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Activated mast cells release preformed and newly generated mediators (vasoactive, spasmogenic, chemotactic, enzymes, proteoglycans).
These mediators induce immediate responses: edema, smooth muscle constriction, mucus production, and cough.
Subsequent mediator release and inflammatory cell infiltration cause prolonged bronchospastic responses.

Conclusions:

Mast cell activation is crucial for immediate host defense in the lungs.
However, excessive or prolonged mast cell activity can create a chronic inflammatory environment.
This chronic inflammation may serve as a substrate for the development of asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.