Elemental X-ray microanalysis of mouse peritoneal and bone marrow derived cultured mast cells.

Elemental X-ray microanalysis of intact mouse peritoneal cells revealed significantly high K alpha sulfur and chloride peaks, while phosphorus, sodium and calcium displayed relatively low K alpha peaks. Bone marrow derived cultured mast cells exhibited a low K alpha peak for sulfur and a high K alpha peak for chloride. Peritoneal macrophages which served as controls differed from peritoneal mast cells by their high phosphorus and chloride content and a relatively low sulfur peak. The finding of two different spectra for the mast cells may provide additional parameters for discrimination of mast cell subsets.