Heavy functions for light chains.
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Humans↗
Biomedical subjects
Lothar Hültner
Publications and source records attributed to Lothar Hültner.
Mast cells and inflammation.
Mast cells have long been recognized as potent producers of a large panel of biologically highly active mediators such as biogenic amines, arachidonic acid metabolites, cytokines and chemokines, but most of their biological functions have been elusive and speculative. By taking advantage of mast cell-deficient mice, the role of mast cells in a variety of experimental settings can now be studied in detail and such approaches have dramatically altered and enlarged our knowledge about mast cell biology and function. Herein we will focus on the role of mast cells in inflammatory reactions of diverse origin, such as delayed type hypersensitivity, atopy, immune complex-mediated inflammation and innate immune responses. From the current standpoint, there is no doubt that the most outstanding and beneficial feature of mast cells is their recently discovered ability to induce a life-saving inflammatory response rapidly upon encountering microbes and microbial constituents. Nevertheless, the picture is also emerging that mast cells are deeply involved in the induction and maintenance of a variety of severe allergic and autoimmune diseases. However, a deeper understanding of their activation and immune-modulatory capacity might open a new window for the development of curative strategies.
Animals↗
Classical and alternative pathways of mast cell activation.
It has long since been recognized that mast cells are critical effectors of anaphylactic reactions, and the existence of these potentially hazardous cells has solely been justified due to their beneficial role in some infections with extracellular parasites. A novel understanding of mast cells as sentinels of the immune system has been made possible by taking advantage of mast cell-deficient mice in order to study the roles of mast cells in vivo and by detailed analyses of mast cell activation in vitro. Collectively, these experiments have revealed a variety of IgE-independent stimuli, which lead to the activation of mast cells as crucial initiators of an inflammatory response. Besides their effector function, a variety of studies reviewed herein point towards important regulatory roles for mast cells, especially regarding their interaction with other cell types.
Adenosine↗