Effect of W and Wυ alleles on production of tissue mast cells in mice

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Abstract
The effect of the W and Wv mutant genes on the production of mast cells was studied in the skin of mice. Although the rank order of mast cell number in a unit length of the skin (i.e., W/+ > +/+ > Wv/+ > Wv/Wv > W/Wv > W/W)) was similar to that of erythrocyte number, the difference in the former was of greater magnitude. In contrast to a complete depletion of mast cells in W/W mice, a considerable number of mast cells were detected in the skin of Wv/Wv mice. Determination of mast cell number in the skin may be a sensitive method for evaluating gene action at the W locus. Suckling W/W mice should provide a useful tool for biochemical and pharmacological investigations of histamine and serotonin originating from cells other than mast cells.