Stem cell factor has histamine releasing activity in rat connective tissue-type mast cells.

Stem cell factor (SCF) was documented to be involved in the growth of mast cells controlled by fibroblasts. We tested the effect of recombinant rat SCF on degranulation from rat peritoneal mast cells (connective tissue-type mast cells: CTMC). SCF induced histamine release (approximately 20% of total histamine content) in a dose-dependent fashion. The release response was relatively rapid and reached a maximum within 5 min. The release showed total dependence on the presence of extracellular phosphatidylserine (PTS). These results reveal that SCF has histamine releasing activity in CTMC.