Pharmacologic regulation of mediator generation and release from the murine bone marrow derived mast cell.

Mucosal mast cells constitute the subclass of IgE-FcR-bearing cells for which the murine bone marrow derived mast cell (BMMC) is an in vitro model. BMMC can be induced by an IgE-dependent mechanism to biosynthesize prostaglandin D2, several 5-lipoxygenase products, and an alkyl-ether phospholipid metabolite, as well as to degranulate. By introduction of selective enzyme inhibitors, it was determined that the bioavailability of each mediator class occurred without regulatory effects on the others. Additionally, since BMMC divide in culture, cell responsiveness for secretion of each mediator class was shown to be independent of the state of proliferation by employing three different nontoxic inhibitors of cell division.