Culture of Human Mast Cells From Hemopoietic Progenitors

The survival of hemopoietic stem cells in culture is suppressed by various cytokines and stimuli. The development of human mast cells also is affected by these stem cell-inhibitory mechanisms because it requires a much-longer period as compared with the development of other cell lineages. This chapter introduces the method of forming human mast cell colonies by culturing purified cord blood cells and peripheral blood cells in serum-free methylcellulose supplemented with stem cell factor and interleukin-6 for 6 wk. Mast cells in colonies can be retrieved by dissolving methylcellulose, and can be maintained in liquid medium for more than six months. This method should be useful for obtaining non-neoplasmic functional human mast cells with high methodological reproducibility.