Isolation and sensitivity of human mesenteric mast cells to immunological and nonimmunological histamine releasers.

Since recent studies have emphasized that mast cells from different tissues within a given species may exhibit marked differences in their functional properties, we have now examined the effect of some immunological and non-immunological histamine releasers on human mesenteric mast cells. The mesentery derived from the patients subjected to gall-bladder surgery was dispersed by collagenase (concentration of enzyme--1 mg/ml, time of incubation--90 min, 37 degrees C). The mesenteric cell suspension contained about 2% mast cells as identified by staining with toluidine blue. We observed that the mesenteric mast cells released histamine when challenged with anti-human IgE, but marked individual variations were observed. These cells had a low sensitivity to challenge with Concanavalin A and compound 48/80 (histamine release about 6%), but responded to ionophore A23187 and polymyxin B (histamine release up to 24% and 22% respectively).