Phospholipid storage in the secretory granule of the mast cell.

A spontaneous membrane assembly process has been postulated to account for the rapid perigranular membrane enlargement which occurs during mast cell secretory granule activation. This process requires the presence of a phospholipid store in the quiescent granule. By using purified granules with intact membranes we have determined the total phospholipid content of the average quiescent granule. The results suggest that the average quiescent granule contains sufficient phospholipid to sustain at least a trebling of its perigranular membrane surface area during activation. As much as two-thirds of the total cellular phospholipid is found in the granules, and since a large portion of this phospholipid is extruded into the extracellular space along with the granule matrix during exocytosis, it is implied that this phospholipid can serve as the substrate for the formation of the lipid-derived mediators of inflammation.