ULTRASTRUCTURAL EVIDENCE FOR THE COMMON ORIGIN OF HUMAN MAST-CELLS AND BASOPHILS

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  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 56  (3) , 534-540
Abstract
Although the functional similarity of basophils and mast cells is widely accepted, their distinctive morphological features have been taken to indicate the existence of 2 different, albeit functionally complementary, cell systems. The recent demonstration that mast cells as well as basophils originate from the bone marrow raises the possibility that these cells derive from the same precursor. Evidence for this theory is provided by the description of a distinctive intermediate cell possessing the ultrastructural features typical of both basophils and mast cells. These cells were encountered in 3 patients with myeloproliferative diseases (2 with chronic myelogenous leukemia and 1 with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia) and may thus be more readily found in states of disturbed myelopoiesis. The 1st comparative description of the ultrastrucure of human basophils, human mast cells, and the newly recognized intermediate cell is given.