Identification and characterization of undifferentiated mast cells in mouse bone marrow.

Sequential immunomagnetic isolation with 2 monoclonal antibodies was used to purify and characterize an undifferentiated mast cell in adult mouse bone marrow that had not been previously recognized. This cell represents 0.02% of the cells in the bone marrow, is CD34(+), CD13(+), and c-kit(+), and does not express FcepsilonRI. However, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the cell contains message for the alpha and beta subunits of FcepsilonRI, mast cell-specific proteases, and carboxypeptidase A. Morphologically, this cell has a large nucleus, little cytoplasm, few cytoplasmic organelles, and no cytoplasmic granules. In vitro, in the presence of interleukin-3 (IL-3) and stem cell factor (SCF) these cells differentiate only into a granulated mast cell that now expresses CD13, c-kit, mast cell-specific gangliosides, FcepsilonRI, and binds immunoglobulin E (IgE). When injected into lethally irradiated mice, these cells are able to reconstitute the mast cell population in the spleen.