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Mast cells in asthma – state of the art
Author(s) -
Bradding P.,
Arthur G.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/cea.12675
Subject(s) - proteases , chemokine , inflammation , immunology , mast cell , asthma , tissue remodeling , receptor , homeostasis , pathophysiology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , medicine , neuroscience , pathology , biochemistry , enzyme
Summary Mast cells ( MC s) play a central role in tissue homoeostasis, sensing the local environment through numerous innate cell surface receptors. This enables them to respond rapidly to perceived tissue insults with a view to initiating a co‐ordinated programme of inflammation and repair. However, when the tissue insult is chronic, the ongoing release of multiple pro‐inflammatory mediators, proteases, cytokines and chemokines leads to tissue damage and remodelling. In asthma, there is strong evidence of ongoing MC activation, and their mediators and cell–cell signals are capable of regulating many facets of asthma pathophysiology. This article reviews the evidence behind this.