Human Basophils and Mast Cells.

Abstract : Critical progress has been made in the identification and characterization of cells and mediators involved in allergic inflammation. Accumulating evidence supports the importance of cell adhesion molecule expression as an initiating process in tissue inflammation. Despite progress made to date, much is still unknown about the exact mechanisms responsible for this inflammatory response. Scientists have been working to understand the selective cell recruitment operating in allergic disease with the hope of discovering therapeutic intervention strategies that will prevent the accumulation of unwanted cells in inflamed airways. Research has been directed at developing various approaches to generate specific antagonists. Some approaches under study interrupt airway inflammation in its early stages during leukocyte-endothelial interactions. Other approaches inhibit cell recruitment at the endothelial wall. Many studies have been done, both in vivo and in vitro, and the advances that have been made suggest that these therapeutic interventions may be the keys to controlling and, possibly, curing asthma and allergic reactions.