Calcium and histamine release from mast cells.

The role of calcium in the process of histamine release from isolated rat peritoneal mast cells and in the pathophysiology of immediate hypersensitivity reactions has been further studied using the intracellular calcium antagonist, TMB-8. Inhibition by TMB-8 of histamine release from mast cells induced by allergic stimuli was found but higher concentrations were needed for reducing release induced by ionophores and activators of calcium gates. This suggests that there are different calcium channels involved in the different release processes.