Pulmonary mast cells in cattle and ilamas at high altitude

The density of mast cells in various anatomical locations within the lung were measured in a peruvian Andean llama, a Peruvian Andean cow and a sea-level-cow. These densities were determined separately around pulmonary arteries, pulmonary veins, pulmonary arterioles and venules, in the alveolar septa, and around bronchi. The total mast cell density did not differ significantly between the three animals and there were more periarteriolar and perivenular mast cells in the llama than in either of the two cows. These data do not support the hypothesis that the perivascular mast cell is responsible for initiating the vasopressor response to hypoxia. In fact it can be argued that they actually inhibit this response since a high mast cell density was found in the llama, and animal which does not develop pulmonary hypertension at high altitude.