Cellular Mechanisms in Anaphylaxis

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Abstract
The ineffectiveness of antihistamines in allergic conditions has focused interest on cellular and biochemical mechanisms. In order to explain the intracellular events in "immediate" anaphylactic reactions various enzymic analogies have been invoked, particularly the analogy of the serum complement reaction. Unfortunately it has not been possible so far to reconstitute an anaphylactic system in cell-free extracts, and this has led to indirect methods of analysis in which the actual enzyme systems concerned have not so far been identified. Nevertheless, the biochemical approach seems hopeful and can be expected to yield results which will be of theoretical and practical importance. The leading topics discussed are inhibition of passive sensitization by nonantibody gamma-globulins, mast cells as sources of tissue histamine, site of cellular antigen-antibody reaction, hypothesis of activation of an intracellular enzyme system, role of proteolysis, anaphylatoxin, role of serum complement, lecithinase hypothesis, anaphylactic reactions in different preparations and species, 346 references.
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