Mast cell-mediated reactions in vivo.

Mast cells are involved in many physiological reactions in which their functions can be very diverse. Models of allergic skin inflammation and systemic anaphylactic reactions in mice are validated methods in which the role of mast cells is well established. In this chapter, we therefore present protocols for passive cutaneous anaphylaxis and contact hypersensitivity, i.e., models which can be used to identify and characterize the role of mast cells as well as mast cell mediators and receptors in allergic IgE-dependent and -independent skin inflammation, and for passive systemic anaphylaxis, a model ideally suited to characterize the systemic effects of mast cell-derived mediators and mast cell receptors.