Mast Cell Research

The role of mast cells in allergy remained unrevealed until the observation that they contained histamine in 1953, and then the discovery of immunoglobulin E (IgE) in 1966, nearly a century after Ehrlich's first publication. After the discovery of IgE, myeloma-derived IgE from Peter Shackford, who made a great contribution to mankind by providing 40 liters of plasma in the year prior to his death, was distributed to many researchers. This accelerated the exploration of the mechanisms involved in allergic reactions, especially regarding the role of mast cells in IgE-mediated reactions. The identification of mast cells as a progeny of a bone marrow hematopoietic stem cell in 1977 led us to the successful in vitro culture of mast cells. Along with the development of molecular biological techniques, the structure of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) was determined in 1989. Thus, we now understand the whole molecules the expression of which is changed when mast cells are activated via FcεRI cross-linking. However, the physiological and pathological roles of mast cells, especially where IgE is not involved, are not yet fully understood. It will be necessary to determine the mechanisms involved in the 'non-IgE-mediated' steps of mast cell activation in allergic or other diseases.